PDC World Darts Championship 2025: Luke Humphries Aims for Retirement Bliss with a Second World Title

World number one and reigning champion Luke Humphries began his title defence at the World Darts Championship in emphatic fashion, securing a flawless 3-0 sets (9-0 legs) victory over France’s top player Thibault Tricole. 

The dominant display saw Humphries cruise into the second round, where he will return post-Christmas to continue his quest for back-to-back titles.

Humphries’ Aims Before He Retires

Reflecting on his victory, Humphries spoke about the career goals that drive him and outlined his ambitions before he eventually retires from the sport.

“I’m sat on six major tournament wins now; I’m not far away from James Wade on 10, who is the third most successful darts player ever. Fifteen months ago, I’d not won one,” he said. 

Humphries revealed that Wade’s tally of 10 ranking titles serves as a key benchmark in his own career aspirations.

“I’m not purposely out trying to dethrone James as third,” he joked. Humphries has a close relationship with the four-time World Championship semi-finalist, and the two have recently been regular practice partners, including training together in Blackpool for the World Matchplay.

Phil Taylor Out of Sight

While Wade’s record motivates Humphries, he acknowledged that surpassing Phil Taylor’s legendary achievement of 16 world titles is beyond reach for any current or future player on tour, even teenage sensation Luke Littler. 

“It’s too far for any player in the world now [Phil Taylor’s record of 16 world titles],” Humphries told SportsBoom.com. 

“If I retired in 20 years’ time, what’s a realistic goal for me? I’d just love to get to double figures. It’s hard to put a number to it—I could sit here and say 20 and come nowhere near, but then I could go on to hit 40.”

Two-time World Champion is the Goal

Humphries also emphasised his desire to add a second world title to his resume, recognising the rarity of multiple-time world champions in the sport.

“I want at least double figures, and I want one more world title. The main goal is to win more than one world title,” he stated. “There’ll be a lot of one-time world champions over the years, but it’s rare to be a double champion.”

Christmas with the Humphries’ 

With a lengthy 12-day break before his third-round match on December 28, Humphries plans to balance rest, family time, and focused preparation to keep himself in top form.

“I prefer this situation. I have 12 days off now, then come back on the 28th,” he explained. “It’ll be a lot of Christmas shopping, and a lot of practice to keep myself and my game in good shape.”

Humphries also shared an anecdote from darts legend Phil Taylor, who famously insisted on putting practice over Christmas celebrations until after the tournament.

“Phil [Taylor] used to say you can enjoy Christmas after you’re world champion. So, I’ll be making sure I put even more effort in to make sure I give myself the best chance of trying to be the two-time world champion,” he said.

A Darts Fan at Heart

Despite his elite status in the sport, Humphries remains a true fan of darts and is looking forward to watching the rest of the tournament unfold.

“I’ll be focused on myself, but I’ll be sitting back and watching as well because I’m a darts fan at heart,” he said. “It’s hard to watch when you’re not in the tournament.”

The World Champ’s One to Watch

Humphries also reflected on the global expansion of darts and expressed excitement about meeting new players from around the world, highlighting the inclusion of emerging talent like Rashad Sweeting from the Bahamas.

“I love seeing new faces, people that you’ve never seen before, and this is why the sport’s great,” he said. “You’ve got so many global players. I met a guy yesterday from the Bahamas [Rashad Sweeting], and I’m really interested to see how he plays.”

As the defending champion, Humphries remains laser-focused on his title defence while keeping an eye on the wider growth of the sport that he loves. 

His next step comes after the Christmas break, when he will return to action with hopes of staying on track for his second world title.