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LITTLER DENIES HUMPHRIES IN AN EPIC TO LIFT WINMAU WORLD MASTERS TITLE

Luke Humphries survived an incredible fightback from Jonny Clayton to be crowned the 2025 Winmau World Master in the first iteration of the rejuvenated classic competition at Milton Keynes' Marshall Arena.

World number one Humphries was seemingly in cruise control as he charged into a 5-2 lead and on his way to the 100,000 pound top prize, before Clayton produced heroics to drag himself level at 5-5 to set up a tense deciding set in an scintillating final.
In a nail-biting final stanza, Clayton took the advantage with a break of throw, only to see Humphries return the favour to set up a sudden-death leg. With the darts in hand, Humphries hit back-to-back 140s before eventually winning the title on tops to be crowned the first Winmau World Masters champion in the remastered tournament - which features the unique best-of three legs per set format.

"I am a lucky lucky boy," admitted Humphries. "I think was very fortunate there. "I started to feel the nerves; when I was 5-2 up and I started to miss doubles I was trying too hard to close the game out. Jonny was coming back at me, and when he went five-all I thought the game was gone for me. "That was a really tough game, I thought I played well in patches but in the middle bit Jonny was so dominant that I feel fortunate that I have won the trophy. "That double top [to win], I must admit I was shaking, my heart was pounding but it went in so I am really really pleased. It is really nice to be the first name on the rejuvenated Winmau World Masters trophy."

With over 1 million pound in ranking money to defend in 2025, the triumph is a huge start to the year for Humphries - with the victory meaning he extends his position at the top of the Order of Merit to a record 1,904,250 pound. The triumph was also a seventh career TV ranking title for Humphries in just 15 months since his maiden triumph in October 2023 at the World Grand Prix.
"To win trophies like this is amazing," added a delighted Humphries. "That's a seventh major title for me now, I am three away from the great James Wade and for me to be even close to someone like that - I can't even believe it."
After wins over Joe Cullen and Josh Rock in the first two rounds, Humphries' run to the title on Sunday saw him beat Australia's Damon Heta 4-1 in the quarter-finals, before coming from 2-0 down to see off Danny Noppert 5-2 in the semi-finals.

For Clayton, the weekend was a welcome return to top form as he reached a first final since the 2023 World Matchplay. The Welshman kicked off his tournament with a breath-taking 112 average in beating Martin Schindler on Thursday and he followed that with a tense 4-3 win over Ryan Searle in round two. He then thwarted World Champion Luke Littler in the quarter-finals with a brilliant display, and followed that by ending the run of nine-dart hero Dimitri Van den Bergh in the last four. Sunday afternoon's quarter-finals also saw Noppert see off 2024 Masters champion Stephen Bunting, while Van den Bergh overcame Nathan Aspinall.

Luke Littler denied his great rival Luke Humphries in an epic deciding-set contest to win his maiden Winmau World Masters title in Milton Keynes on Sunday.

The world's top two players went head-to-head in an all-time classic at Arena MK, as Littler fought back from 5-4 down in sets to add another Premier televised title to his extensive collection.
Humphries appeared poised to retain the coveted crown after recovering from 3-1 down to lead, only for Littler to defy a 105.51 average from the world number two in scooping the 100,000 pound top prize.
The defending champion landed the first blow in a closely-fought opening stanza, but an effortless 153 checkout from Littler in set two shifted the pendulum and saw him establish a 2-1 buffer. Humphries responded with a 13-dart break as he sought to draw level, but a relentless Littler maintained his charge, converting back-to-back 121 outshots to stretch his lead to 3-1. His astonishing run of combination finishing continued as he pinned the bull for an 87 kill to open set five, before Humphries hit back with a blistering four-leg burst to level at 3-3. Humphries averaged 123 in a staggering fifth set display, but he was unable to hit the front in set seven, squandering three set darts as Littler regained control once more. However, the reigning champion conjured up a crucial 12-dart break to wrap up set eight, which he followed up with a 108 checkout and a 13-darter in the ninth to close in on a famous victory at 5-4. Littler wasn't to be denied, however, registering legs of 13 and 12 darts to force a deciding set, which he subsequently claimed in consecutive legs to end Humphries' reign in Milton Keynes.

"I'm absolutely shattered after that," admitted Littler, who averaged 104.72 to clinch his fourth straight televised ranking title. "Going into the last break at 5-4 down I said to myself: 'I've got nothing left', but I managed to dig deep. "Coming in after that last break, I was fully focused and I got the job done. "It's been a tough tournament at times, but this is why we battle, every game, every leg, and I've come out victorious."

Littler's path to glory was anything but serene, having survived a match dart in his opening round win over Belgian number one Mike De Decker. The Warrington wonderkid then put on a darting clinic to topple Ross Smith in round two, which was backed up with wins over his Premier League rivals Josh Rock and Gerwyn Price on Finals Day.
The 19-year-old dispatched Rock in quick-fire fashion in the quarter-finals, averaging almost 106 to eliminate Northern Ireland's number one in less than 13 minutes of play. Littler then prevailed in a nine-set thriller against Price, surviving a match dart from the Welshman in the penultimate leg of their compelling semi-final.

Humphries, meanwhile, performed magnificently throughout the weekend, averaging over 101 in each of his five matches in Milton Keynes. Fresh from his nine-dart heroics on Saturday, the 30-year-old stormed through to Sunday's decider with successive whitewash wins against Dutch duo Danny Noppert and Gian van Veen.
Humphries averaged 101.67 to demolish Noppert in a repeat of last year's semi-final at Arena MK, which set up a fascinating last four showdown against Van Veen. The European Champion had won the pair's last five meetings, but Humphries halted that sequence in emphatic style, averaging 107.8 to complete a darting demolition job.

"Of course I'm gutted not to win it, but you have to take the positives," claimed Humphries, who is determined to build on a terrific campaign. "I can go away this weekend and know that my game is in a good place again. It's been a great tournament for me. "You look back at the whole game and it's hard to pick holes in it because it was such a great game of darts. "Luke showed his true class there. He never folds under pressure, and this may be premature, but I think he's the greatest darts player that's ever lived."

Despite his defeat to Humphries, Van Veen's debut run to the semi-finals featured a terrific 4-2 victory over James Wade - aided by a staggering 73 percent checkout success rate.
In the afternoon's other quarter-final, Price ran out a 4-2 winner against 2023 Masters champion Dobey, pinning ten of his 17 attempts at double to complete a clinical display.

Following his latest triumph, Littler's focus now switches to the BetMGM Premier League, which gets underway in Newcastle on Thursday February 5. The world number one will open his campaign against Van Veen in a repeat of last month's World Championship final, while Humphries begins his title defence against Price at the Utilita Arena.


Gerwyn Price 4-2 Chris Dobey (1-2, 2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0)
Luke Littler 4-0 Josh Rock (2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0)
Gian van Veen 4-2 James Wade (2-0, 0-2, 2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 2-0)
Luke Humphries 4-0 Danny Noppert (2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)

Statistics, Quarterfinals

Luke Littler 5-4 Gerwyn Price (2-1, 1-2, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0, 0-2, 2-0, 0-2, 2-1)
Luke Humphries 5-0 Gian van Veen (2-0, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1)

Statistics, Semifinals

Luke Littler 6-5 Luke Humphries (1-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, 1-2, 0-2, 2-1, 1-2, 1-2, 2-0, 2-0)

Statistics, Final

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