World Grand Prix: Mike De Decker shocks Luke Humphries in epic final to clinch title
In an unexpected turn of events, Mike De Decker stunned top-ranked player Luke Humphries with a 6-4 victory, securing his first World Grand Prix title at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester on Sunday.
The 28-year-old from Belgium reached his first televised final after delivering a series of outstanding performances in the double-start tournament. He walked away with the impressive top prize of £120,000 after a captivating final match.
Humphries entered the final as the clear favorite to keep his title, following an outstanding performance in 2024 and an impressive 5-0 win over Ryan Joyce in the semi-finals. However, he couldn't match the calm and skilled performance of the exceptional Belgian player.
The world champion was largely overshadowed throughout the evening by De Decker, who enjoyed an incredible journey through the tournament and secured his first major televised title in impressive fashion.
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Sunday's World Grand Prix Final Results
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"I couldn't be more proud," De Decker expressed. "It’s a fantastic feeling—I'm absolutely thrilled! I've been really satisfied with how I've performed throughout the week, but this is the icing on the cake."
"Luke has been an outstanding champion over the past year, and he’s genuinely a wonderful person."
Luke's performance over the past year has been incredible, and to be the one who faced him in the final this weekend and walked away with the trophy is just fantastic! I'm overjoyed!
"I had my moments of being really composed. At first, I felt quite anxious, but then I settled in and took a 4-1 lead. When he managed to tie it up at 4-4, my nerves kicked in once more, but in the end, I pulled through."
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The two players exchanged victories in the first two sets, each of which ended with tight finishes, before De Decker pulled ahead decisively.
He won the third set without Humphries scoring any points.
Humphries realized he needed to make a crucial break to secure the fourth set, but he found it challenging to get started with a double. Meanwhile, De Decker impressively secured a 154 finish, taking a 3-1 lead as the players headed into the break.
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De Decker appeared anxious when he couldn't hit the eight, while Humphries managed to take down five to tie the fifth set at 2-2. However, the Belgian gathered his composure for the final leg, hitting double 16 after some strong scoring, which allowed him to extend his lead to 4-1.
Even though he seemed close to losing, Humphries suddenly came alive, scoring a 149 and then an impressive 152 to tie the sixth set at 2-2. After that, 'Cool Hand' wrapped up a score of 50 to narrow the gap.
The defending champion maintained their strong performance in the seventh set. De Decker had opportunities to score on both double 16 and double eight but couldn’t convert. Meanwhile, Humphries hit the tops to win another set, bringing the score to 4-3.
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In the eighth set, Humphries came close to finishing with a spectacular 170 'Big Fish' but ended up hitting 25 with his last dart. This gave De Decker the opportunity to push the match into a final leg.
Although he initially missed when needing a score of 67, the world No. 1 successfully made the shot on his second attempt, bringing the match to a tie.
Following another tough attempt from Humphries to secure a double at the beginning of the fourth leg of the ninth set, De Decker broke the pattern by wrapping up with 80 points, putting himself ahead again at 5-4 as the players moved backstage for another break.
De Decker took a 2-1 advantage in the 10th set and had the chance to secure the victory. However, Humphries was the first to reach a finish with a score of 120, hitting double 10 to equalize and push the match into yet another final leg.
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As Humphries' scoring slowed down, De Decker fired off an impressive 180 that left him with 55. He finished it off in just two darts, nailing double top for a remarkable conclusion to his debut televised final.
De Decker's achievement marks him as just the second Belgian, joining Dimitri Van den Bergh, to win a televised PDC event. This victory boosts his rank from 36th to 25th in the PDC Order of Merit.
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A disappointed Humphries expressed, "I'm clearly upset about the loss - I felt like I was truly on the brink of everything."
It's really frustrating, but I couldn't be prouder of Mike. He demonstrated incredible courage. I remember what it was like to be in his shoes just a year ago, and he handled it all with such composure.
"Things just didn't go my way last night, and sometimes you have to acknowledge that. But you have an incredible champion on your hands, and now he's in the spotlight, just like I am."
"He's an amazing person and a talented player. There's so much more success ahead for him in the future."
In the match against Gary Anderson, he really showcased his skills, admitting, 'I believed Gary would come out on top.' In reality, he dominated the game. Not only did he outperform Gary, but he also surpassed Luke Humphries in a marathon match that lasted 45 legs. He has the confidence, the calmness under pressure, and the talent to back it all up!
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"Comparing The Stats"
What's The Next Live Darts On Sky Sports?
Live darts is back on Sky Sports with the Grand Slam of Darts taking place in Wolverhampton from November 9 to 17, where Luke Humphries will be aiming to defend his championship title.
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As we approach the end of the year, all eyes are on the upcoming 2025 PDC World Darts Championship, which kicks off on December 15. The darts season keeps delivering thrilling moments, and you can catch all the action live on Sky Sports.
Sky Sports+ has officially debuted and will be incorporated into Sky TV, the NOW streaming platform, and the Sky Sports app. This enhancement allows Sky Sports subscribers to enjoy more than 50% additional live sports this year without any additional charges. Click here for more details.
