In an astonishing turn of events, the 28-year-old from Belgium emerged victorious in his inaugural appearance in a televised final of a double-start tournament. With a remarkable series of performances, he clinched the title and a handsome top prize of £120,000 after a pulsating final.
The reigning champion, Humphries, was left stunned as De Decker overcame an early setback to take a commanding 4-1 lead with a display of exceptional skill and composure. Despite a valiant effort to claw his way back into contention with three consecutive set wins, Humphries was unable to match De Decker’s resolve as he sealed the victory in the deciding leg of the tenth set.
De Decker’s triumph has earned him a place in the history books as only the second Belgian, alongside Dimitri Van den Bergh, to taste success in a televised PDC event. Furthermore, his remarkable achievement has propelled him from the 36th to the 25th spot on the prestigious PDC Order of Merit.
At the outset of the event, De Decker was deemed a 100/1 outsider by sponsors BoyleSports. However, his sensational performance throughout the week culminated in his elevation to the elite ranks of World Grand Prix champions, marking a breakthrough moment in his career.
Expressing his overwhelming delight, De Decker remarked, “I’m so proud. It feels amazing – I’m over the moon; I’ve been really happy with my performance all week, but this tops it off.” Reflecting on his victory over the esteemed champion, Luke Humphries, he added, “The way Luke has been playing since last year is just brilliant and being the person that beats him this weekend, in a final, picking up this trophy; I’m so happy! I was cool in patches. In the beginning I was really nervous, then I calmed down and went 4-1 up. When he came back to 4-4 I started to get nervous again but I did it.”
Humphries had stormed into the final in impressive fashion, dispatching Ryan Joyce with a commanding performance that included an average of 100. However, De Decker’s prowess in doubling ultimately proved decisive in thwarting Humphries’ bid to defend his title.