Luke Humphries might have delivered one of the highest averages of the Grand Slam of Darts so far — but the World Champion admits “something’s not right” as he battles through the knockout stages in Wolverhampton.
The 29-year-old cruised past his opponent in the Last 16 with a blistering 108.2 average, sending a clear message that his scoring power remains world-class. But behind the impressive numbers, Humphries says he’s still struggling to find the balance and composure that carried him to major glory earlier in the season.
“I should be happier – but I’m not”
Despite looking dominant on stage, Humphries’ post-match interview took a surprisingly honest tone.
“I should be over the moon with a performance like that,” Humphries said.
“But clearly something’s wrong. I’m not feeling myself up there at the moment.”
The World No.2 revealed that while the darts are landing, his mindset hasn’t quite clicked into gear — something he’s desperate to fix before the quarter-finals.
“I’m scoring great, finishing well, but mentally I’m just not relaxed,” he admitted.
“When you play at this level, you can’t afford to be battling yourself as well as your opponent.”
Numbers say dominant, body language says drained
On paper, Humphries looked unstoppable — hitting seven 180s, a 62% checkout rate, and rarely looking troubled. But fans watching closely noticed a lack of trademark energy and emotion from Cool Hand Luke, who often appeared frustrated even after winning legs.
Darts pundits in the Sky Sports studio suggested fatigue might be setting in after a relentless year of competition.
“He’s playing world-class darts, but you can see he’s not enjoying it,” one analyst said.
“When Luke’s smiling and loose, he’s dangerous. Right now, he looks tense — and that’s a warning sign.”
A reminder of how high his standards are
Humphries’ comments reflect the mindset of a player who’s raised the bar for himself in 2025. Having already captured major titles and risen to world champion status, he now expects nothing less than perfection — even when delivering elite-level stats.
“A year ago, I’d have taken that performance and celebrated,” Humphries said with a half-smile.
“Now, I want more. I want to enjoy it again. That’s when I’m at my best.”
Quarter-final pressure ahead
Humphries now advances to the quarter-finals, where he could face another in-form opponent. Despite concerns about his mental sharpness, few would dare underestimate him given his current scoring power.
Still, the man himself knows that numbers alone won’t win him the title.
“I’ll take a 95 average and the right mindset over a 108 and doubt every day,” he said.
“I just need to reset — because if I do, I’ll be very hard to stop.”
