Humphries wins a thriller against Anderson to set up Wade semi-final

After thrilling quarter-final matches on Friday, James Wade and Luke Humphries will meet in the semi-finals of the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts.

Wade overcame Josh Rock 16-15, while Humphries defeated Gary Anderson 16-14 on an amazing night of action in Wolverhampton that saw 61 of 62 legs played.

Wade defeated Rock in a spectacular comeback, winning the final four legs to come back from a 12-15 deficit.

Rock missed his first match dart at double top to win 16-14, while Wade dug hard to win the distance.

Wade missed double 14 for a 121 checkout in the deciding leg, giving Rock the chance to win it on tops.

However, the Northern Irishman missed all three darts, giving Wade a chance at 28.

Wade snuck into the double 11 bed to leave six, and after seemingly blocking double three with his first dart, he found a way through to the target to seal a spectacular victory.

“To hit the doubles like I did at the end, there’s not many players who can do that,” said a jubilant Wade.

“I got a bit lucky, Josh was way better than me tonight. I’m still not at my best but I’ll always keep fighting.

“I don’t think there’s anyone better than me in those high-pressure situations, but I have to be good in those moments because other players score better than me.

“When I got the chance at double 14 I thought Christmas had come early, then I hit double 11 and thought ‘you silly boy!’ Thankfully I hit probably the best double three of my life.

“I enjoyed the interaction with the crowd tonight, they were brilliant to me and I’m looking forward to coming back on Sunday.”

Wade was the first out of the gate, racing to a 3-0 lead before Rock warmed up and tied the score at 4-4.

Rock gained the lead for the first time at 11-10 after averaging 101.31 and producing three ton-plus checkouts in his first televised quarter-final.

The World Youth Champion won four of the following six rounds to lead 15-12 and appear to have taken control of the tie, only for Wade to win the final four legs with his characteristic grit.

Humphries put up a tremendous performance, averaging 103.56 to win a high-class match against Anderson.

Humphries who won a TV major for the first time at the World Grand Prix in October, rallied from 1-5 and 4-8 deficits to reach the semi-finals for the second year in a row.

“It was a pleasure to share the stage with one of the greats of the game at his best,” Humphries reflected.

 “It really meant a lot to me, we both played a fantastic game which was a privilege to be part of.

 “I think I showed a lot of bottle at the end, Gary threw everything at me but I just kept digging in which is testament to the new temperament I’ve got.

“This has been a breakthrough year for me, it’s been the year I’ve always dreamed of, but I’m hungry for more.”

Despite Humphries’ 170 checkout in leg four, Anderson stormed to a 5-1 lead as the two-time Grand Slam runner-up grabbed charge.

Humphries gained a footing in the battle with back-to-back legs, only for Anderson to counter with finishes of 150 and 128 to reestablish a four-leg edge at 8-4.

Humphries then won the next four legs to take the lead for the first time at 10-9.

Anderson’s 132 checkout brought him back within a leg of Humphries at 11-12, and the Scot’s 131 tied the score at 13-13.

Anderson reclaimed the lead at 14-13 before Humphries rattled off the final three legs to go to the final four.

2023 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts

Friday November 17

Quarter-Finals x2

James Wade 16-15 Josh Rock

Luke Humphries 16-14 Gary Anderson

 

Saturday November 18 (1900-2300 GMT)

Quarter-Finals x2

Stowe Buntz v Stephen Bunting

Damon Heta v Rob Cross

Best of 31 legs