Hat trick Hero Humphries
Luke Humphries won back-to-back Euro Tours in the space of 7 days after beating Rob Cross 8-7 in the Final to claim the £25,000 winner’s prize and success yet again on the European Circuit. Humphries has already won the Czech Open and the German Darts Grand Prix, with Michael van Gerwen being the only player to achieve three titles so far this year.
The Final saw Cool Hand average 102.33 and include six maximums in the match, playing some of his best darts on the Final day in Germany. His opponent also averaged in three figures (101.82), and former World Champion Cross included 50% on the outer ring.
The Newbury ace has really seen a positive turn in form for 2022, checking out at a rate of 53.33% including a 121 check out in the twelfth leg to take a 7-5 lead. However, the World Number 10 (Cross) came back again sending the match into a deciding leg after finding double nine to keep the game alive in the fourteenth leg.
Humphries found his third ton plus checkout in the match to seal his victory in Stuttgart, hitting double sixteen with his last dart to complete a 108 out and win again on the Euro Tour in what is turning into a fantastic year for the 27-year-old.
Voltage will feel he should have had more success with this being his third Final defeat this year, having lost last week in Prague and now in Germany.
Peter Wright found some much needed form ahead of a massive game with Joe Cullen next week in Newcastle, with the winner qualifying for Finals Night in Berlin for the Premier League on June 13th. Snakebite swept aside league leader Jonny Clayton 6-1 with an average of 103 with a checkout of 81 from the number one being the highest of the match.
The Scotsman though saw his best performance come in his Quarter Final match with UK Open champion Danny Noppert, hitting an average of 111.16 and missing just one dart at double in the entire match. An 89 checkout in the second leg from the 52-year-old was the highest on the German stage, in what was a break of throw to lead 2-0.
An improved weekend for Wright, who before this had bowed out early in his last three Euro Tour appearances. His run in Stuttgart came to an end in the Semi Final against the overall champion Luke Humphries who found a 108 average to win 7-4.
Brendan Dolan enjoyed a strong run to the Quarter Finals, his best in any European Event so far this year, after beating Andrew Gilding in the afternoon session 6-3. Goldfinger beat Jose de Sousa in the last round but could not take another seed out, with the Northern Irishman impressing on the outer ring as hit 54.55% at his doubles.
Like Peter Wright, The History Maker’s run was cut short at the hands of 27-year-old Humphries as he was whitewashed 6-0 with Cool Hand finding his first of three 100 plus averages in a row.
Danny Noppert also reached the Quarter Finals beating young Northern Irishman Nathan Rafferty 6-4 in the afternoon as both players averaged in three figures on the oche. The Freeze kept his cool and finished the match with just four missed darts at double and a 104.93 average, as he wrapped up victory on double four with his last dart.
The Dutchman would see his run come to an end at the hands of an inform World Number One Peter Wright who ended the hopes of the 31-year-old with a 6-1 win in what was the final Quarter Final matchup.
The darting action returns on Thursday as the Premier League format comes to an end with the final night in Newcastle, as Joe Cullen and Peter Wright prepare to face off to join Jonny Clayton, Michael van Gerwen and James Wade in Berlin on June 13th.
By Harry Masterson
European Darts Grand Prix: Last 16 Results
Martin Schindler (16) 6-5 Martin Lukeman
Damon Heta (8) 6-5 Ryan Searle (9)
Rowby-John Rodriguez 6-3 Daryl Gurney (13)
Rob Cross (5) 6-4 Krzysztof Ratajski (12)
Brendan Dolan (15) 6-3 Andrew Gilding
Luke Humphries (10) 6-3 Joe Murnan
Peter Wright (3) 6-1 Jonny Clayton (14)
Danny Noppert 6-4 Nathan Rafferty
Quarter Finals:
Damon Heta (8) 6-5 Martin Schindler (16)
Rob Cross (5) 6-4 Rowby-John Rodriguez
Luke Humphries (10) 6-0 Brendan Dolan (15)
Peter Wright (3) 6-1 Danny Noppert
Semi Finals:
Rob Cross (5) 7-4 Damon Heta (8)
Luke Humphries (10) 7-4 Peter Wright (3)
Final:
Luke Humphries (10) 8-7 Rob Cross (5)