Luke Humphries admits Luke Littler is his dream World Matchplay final opponent as darts star ramps up rivalry

LUKE HUMPHRIES reckons the “dream” final this week would be between the Lethal Lukes. The top two players in the darting world – Humphries and Luke Littler – are on collision course to meet in the Betfred World Matchplay final next Sunday. Luke Littler defeated Niko Springer 10-6 in Blackpool Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Luke Humphries could stand in Littler’s way next Sunday Credit: PA The Nuke, 19, opened his title defence on Saturday night by beating German Niko Springer 10-6 in round one at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool. No2 seed Humphries, the 2024 champion, goes up against Scotsman Cameron Menzies on Monday, aiming to make amends for his “disappointing” early exit in July 2025. Sign up for the Sport newsletter Thank you! Since last August, Humphries and Littler have met in the finals of the New Zealand Darts Masters, World Grand Prix, Grand Slam, World Masters and the Premier League playoffs And the Warrington teenager was victorious in all five of them against his biggest rival. Only Humphries’s success in last month’s US Darts Masters final in New York bucked the trend in a one-sided rivalry. He can recall memories of his World Championship victory over Littler at Ally Pally in January 2024 but that is a long time ago. Humphries, 31, said: “I feel like I’m in the best form I’ve ever been in my life. The averages and stats would probably say that. “If this rivalry is going to go on for many years, it’s going to flip-flop all the time. Most read in Darts WORLD CUP 2026 FREE BETS AND SIGN UP OFFERS Littler and Humphries could be the ‘dream final’ Credit: Getty “One minute I’m going to be winning four out of five, the next day he’ll probably win four out of five. “Then it will go a little bit where we’ll beat each other. One here, one there. Then there’s someone who will go on a run. I just think that’s what happens. “Luke knows he has to play his best against me. I certainly know I’ve got to play my best against him. “For me, the dream draw would be to play him in the final of the Matchplay because we played each other in a World Championship final and a Premier League final. “It’s just that last one left for me that I’d love to play him in a Matchplay final. We’ve both got long ways to go yet. “Obviously, there’s no draw that is easy. We’ve both got to work hard to try and get to the final. “The longer we stay in it, the longer the format goes, the more it’ll play into our hands. “Playing Luke just adds that extra sparkle. That extra achievement on top of winning a major. “If you’re beating him in a final, you’re playing the best player in the world. “No-one can sit back and go, you’ve won that title because you beat so-and-so in the final, you’ve got an easy draw. “It’s the toughest game in world darts between us both. Whoever comes out in that game thoroughly deserved to win. It excites me. I love playing him in a big final.” Comment now