Grand Prix Darts: Can Wattimena Pull Off the Upset Against Humphries?
The Grand Prix Darts tournament is heating up, with four quarter-finalists already decided: Welsh stars Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, alongside Ryan Joyce and Nathan Aspinall. Tonight, the second set of Last 16 matches will determine the remaining contenders, with all eyes on the highly anticipated clash between World #2 Luke Humphries and the resurgent Jermaine Wattimena. This match is not just a battle of rankings; it’s a test of form, history, and mental fortitude, with Wattimena looking to continue his impressive comeback and Humphries aiming to rediscover his peak performance after a challenging start to the year.
The Road to the Quarter-Finals So Far
Last night saw four dominant performances, securing the first spots in the Quarter-Finals:
- Gerwyn Price (Wales)
- Jonny Clayton (Wales)
- Ryan Joyce (England)
- Nathan Aspinall (England)
These players will now await their opponents as the tension builds towards Friday night’s final eight showdowns.
Tonight’s Crucial Last 16 Encounters
The stakes are incredibly high tonight, with four more spots in the Quarter-Finals up for grabs. Here’s a look at the lineup:
- Niels Zonneveld vs. Gary Anderson: Zonneveld, fresh off a debut win against Rock, faces the experienced ‘Flying Scotsman’.
- James Wade vs. Stephen Bunting: ‘The Machine’ Wade seeks a rare major stage victory against ‘The Bullet’.
- Luke Humphries vs. Jermaine Wattimena: Our feature match, pitting the World #2 against the newly ranked World #16.
- Gian van Veen vs. Ryan Searle: A potential new World #2, Gian van Veen, battles ‘Heavy Metal’ Ryan Searle for the final Quarter-Finals spot.
Focus Match: Luke Humphries vs. Jermaine Wattimena
This particular match-up is generating significant buzz, and for good reason. It brings together two players with contrasting recent forms and a history of compelling encounters.
Luke “Cool Hand” Humphries: A Champion Searching for Form
Luke Humphries enters this match with an impressive Grand Prix pedigree, having reached the final in each of the last three editions. He notably defeated Gerwyn Price in 2023 but then faced defeats to De Decker and Littler in the subsequent finals. However, his 2026 campaign hasn’t started as smoothly as expected.
- Recent Form: His first-round victory over Dave Chisnall saw him average just 80.41. This marks his second-lowest average at the Grand Prix, with only his 2022 first-round match against Chris Dobey (78.31 average) being lower.
- The Challenge: Despite his talent and past success, Humphries appears to be searching for his top gear. This match against Wattimena is a crucial test of his ability to elevate his game under pressure.
Jermaine “Machine Gun” Wattimena: A Resurgent Force
In stark contrast to Humphries’ recent struggles, Jermaine Wattimena arrived at this event with a point to prove. Before Tuesday night, he hadn’t won a single game on the Grand Prix stage since his impressive run to the Quarter-Finals in 2019. Despite only qualifying twice since then, this was a record he was determined to rectify – and he did so emphatically.
- Grand Prix Comeback: Wattimena comfortably defeated Chris Dobey in the first round, posting a strong average of 86.55. This is his second-highest average ever at the Grand Prix, surpassed only by his 88.85 average against Peter Wright in the Last 16 of 2019.
- Momentum: Now ranked World #16, Wattimena is riding a wave of renewed confidence and is keen to extend his run in this major tournament.
Head-to-Head History: A Rivalry Unfolds
The two players have met a total of fifteen times in PDC darts, with Humphries generally holding the upper hand, winning ten of those encounters. All three of their meetings in 2026 have also gone the way of the World #2, including a European Tour Last 16 match and a first-round clash at the World Series of Darts Finals less than two weeks ago.
However, the narrative changes slightly when looking at ranking majors:
- Early Major Clashes: Humphries won their first two major encounters, both in the second round of the 2020 World Championships and the 2020 Players Championship Finals.
- Wattimena’s Landmark Victory: They didn’t meet again in a match of such significance until the 2024 European Championship. Here, Wattimena delivered a stunning 10-4 victory in the Quarter-Finals, a performance that propelled him to his only major final appearance. This win remains a significant highlight in Wattimena’s career and serves as a reminder of his potential to upset top players on the big stage.
What Awaits the Winner?
The victor of this compelling clash will advance to face either Niels Zonneveld or Gary Anderson in the Quarter-Finals. This sets up fascinating possibilities:
- All-Dutch Clash: A potential all-Dutch encounter if Wattimena wins and Zonneveld defeats Anderson, offering a unique dynamic.
- Humphries-Anderson Showdown: The prospect of a Humphries-Anderson battle in Leicester is a mouth-watering prospect for darts fans, promising a high-quality, high-drama encounter.
Tonight’s matches are crucial stepping stones, and the Humphries vs. Wattimena tie stands out as a must-watch for its potential for upsets, comebacks, and pure darts drama.
Source: Based on an article from Darts World Magazine.
