Darts fans are in for a treat as reigning champion Luke Humphries is set to headline this year’s 32-player field at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena. The sport’s biggest names will be competing for the coveted title across seven days of action from October 7-13.
Humphries’ World Grand Prix success in 2023 kickstarted an incredible 12-month period of dominance during which he has clinched six televised titles, including the World Championship and World Matchplay. This remarkable achievement is made even more impressive when you consider that prior to last year’s World Grand Prix, he had yet to secure his first televised ranking title.
“The World Grand Prix will always hold great memories for me,” said Humphries, who is returning to Leicester as the number one seed. “The fact that it was my first major tournament win makes it special, and it was the catalyst that allowed me to go on and win everything else.”
He added, “If I didn’t win the World Grand Prix, the last 12 months could have been completely different for me, but it gave me the confidence to win a lot more, and I’ll always be grateful for that.”
The world number one has now clinched five televised ranking titles since his breakthrough win in the East Midlands, and he also led England to victory in the World Cup of Darts in June. Humphries, who was also a runner-up in this year’s UK Open and Premier League, has appeared in an impressive eight of the last ten Premier PDC finals, showcasing his unwavering form.
“I have surprised myself,” admitted the talented player, who defeated top players like Daryl Gurney, Luke Woodhouse, Peter Wright, and Joe Cullen on his way to Grand Prix glory 12 months ago. “When I won the World Grand Prix, I thought: ‘That’s a great start to my career with my first major win, and I’d love to follow it up with another title in the next 12 months’.”