Luke Humphries has once again proven his dominance, successfully defending his US Darts Masters title for the second consecutive year in a thrilling final against rising star Luke Littler. The world number one emerged victorious with an 8-7 scoreline in an epic showdown at New York’s Madison Square Garden, solidifying his status at the pinnacle of the sport.
The Road to the Final: Early Shocks and Strong Starts
The 2024 US Darts Masters kicked off with its first round on Thursday night, delivering immediate drama and unexpected results. While many eyes were on the top seeds, it was Canadian PDC tour card holder Jim Long who stole the headlines early on.
First Round Highlights:
- Shock Upset: Jim Long capitalized on numerous missed doubles from Josh Rock, securing a surprising 6-4 victory.
- Close Calls for Top Seeds: World number one Luke Littler and Gerwyn Price both faced tougher challenges than expected. Littler, despite missing 24 doubles (the target area to finish a leg), managed to defeat David Cameron 6-4. Price, too, won 6-4 against debutant Brayden Hall, who even held a 3-2 lead at one point.
- Dominant Debuts: Gian van Veen made a strong impression in his Madison Square Garden debut, comfortably beating American Fred Krueger 6-1. Jonny Clayton recorded the highest average of the first round, losing only two legs against Gary Mawson with an impressive 98 average.
First Round Results:
- Luke Littler (1) 6-4 David Cameron
- Josh Rock 4-6 Jim Long
- Gerwyn Price (4) 6-4 Brayden Hall
- James Wade 6-3 Adam Sevada
- Luke Humphries (2) 6-1 Leonard Gates
- Stephen Bunting 6-2 Alex Spellman
- Gian van Veen (3) 6-1 Fred Krueger
- Jonny Clayton 6-2 Gary Mawson
Quarter-Final Drama: Averages Soar in New York
The tournament reached its crucial quarter-final stage on Friday night, with players raising their game significantly. Jim Long’s dream run, however, came to an end.
Quarter-Final Highlights:
- Littler Ends Long’s Run: Jim Long, fresh off a North American Championship final loss earlier in the day, couldn’t repeat his heroics, falling 6-1 to top seed Luke Littler, who averaged an impressive 102 points per three darts.
- High-Quality Encounters: The subsequent two quarter-finals saw all players record averages over 100. James Wade proved too strong for Gerwyn Price, winning 6-3. Defending champion Luke Humphries showcased his intent, beating Stephen Bunting 6-2 with a superb 105 average.
- Van Veen Continues to Impress: Gian van Veen continued his excellent form, defeating Jonny Clayton 6-3 with an average over 106. The Dutchman also hit impressive finishes (scoring the exact required amount to win a leg) of 119 and 138.
Quarter-Final Results:
- Luke Littler (1) 6-1 Jim Long
- Gerwyn Price (4) 3-6 James Wade
- Luke Humphries (2) 6-3 Stephen Bunting
- Gian van Veen (3) 6-3 Jonny Clayton
Semi-Final Showdowns: Battle for the Final Spot
The semi-finals delivered two captivating contests, setting the stage for a truly epic final.
Littler vs. Wade: The Nuke Prevails
The first semi-final pitted Luke Littler against James Wade. The opening three legs went with the darts (meaning the player who started the leg won it), including a 78-finish from Littler and a 98-finish from Wade. Littler then secured the first ‘break’ of the match (winning a leg against the thrower) with a 14-dart leg, consolidating it to go 4-1 up. Wade, known as ‘The Machine,’ fought back valiantly with finishes of 76 and 120, narrowing the gap to 4-3. However, after a short break, Littler regained control, hitting a 13-darter to make it 5-3, followed by holding his own leg with a stunning 140-finish. Wade managed one more leg, but ‘The Nuke’ closed out the match 7-4 with a 14-darter.
Humphries vs. Van Veen: Cool Hand Luke’s Comeback
The second semi-final was a clash between world number two Luke Humphries and world number three Gian van Veen. The match began with two breaks of throw, followed by five consecutive legs going with the darts, giving Van Veen a 4-3 lead at the first interval. Humphries had finishes of 65 and 97, while Van Veen hit an 82-finish. After the break, the Dutchman secured a crucial break with a 12-darter, extending his lead to 5-3, and then consolidated it with a magnificent 130-finish to go 6-3 up. Humphries responded with a 106-finish. At 6-4, Van Veen had his first match dart but narrowly missed double 20 on a 120-finish. Humphries seized the opportunity, breaking back in 13 darts and forcing a deciding leg with an 11-darter. Starting the deciding leg (a final leg played when scores are tied to determine the winner), Van Veen had another match dart, this time missing double 19. Humphries remained composed, hitting double 4 to complete an incredible comeback and win 7-6.
Semi-Final Results:
- Luke Littler (1) 7-4 James Wade
- Luke Humphries (2) 7-6 Gian van Veen (3)
The Grand Finale: Humphries vs. Littler – An Epic Conclusion
New York was treated to the dream final it had hoped for, pitting the reigning champion Luke Humphries against the darts sensation Luke Littler. The atmosphere was electric, and the match lived up to every expectation.
Humphries started sharply, winning the first two legs. Littler immediately broke back with a fine 81-finish but couldn’t hold his own throw. Humphries then delivered an 11-darter for his second consecutive break, consolidating it by holding his own leg in 13 darts to take a commanding 4-1 lead. ‘The Nuke’ limited the damage before the first interval by winning the next two legs, making the score 4-3.
After the break, Humphries missed three crucial darts at a double to extend his lead to 5-3, allowing Littler to level the match at 4-4 via double 5. In the next leg, Humphries again missed multiple doubles, and Littler capitalized with a 15-darter, taking the lead for the first time in the final with a significant break. This lead was short-lived, however, as ‘Cool Hand Luke’ immediately broke back with a 72-finish. The next four legs all went with the darts, setting up a thrilling fifteenth and deciding leg.
The final leg was a display of pure class. Both players hit maximum scores (180s) and were under 100 after just nine darts. However, it was Humphries, who had started the leg, waiting on 41 after nine darts. He made no mistake, hitting his double in 11 darts to clinch the final 8-7. With this victory, Humphries etched his name into the history books as the first player to successfully defend the US Darts Masters title, solidifying his reign as the sport’s undisputed top player.
Final Match Statistics:
- Luke Humphries: Average 104.05 / Double Percentage 38.1%
- Luke Littler: Average 99.50 / Double Percentage 35%
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
