Darts
No Call of Duty With Van Gerwen Tonight: Luke Humphries Preps for 2024 World Matchplay Final
Humphries beats Wade 17-10 faces Van Gerwen in final; no Call of Duty before crucial match.
In a thrilling encounter at the 2024 World Matchplay, Luke Humphries secured his place in the final with a 17-10 victory over James Wade.
This marks Humphries’ first-ever appearance in a World Matchplay final, and the 28-year-old is set to face the formidable three-time champion Michael van Gerwen.
Gaming with Van Gerwen
In a post-match interview, Humphries shared insights into his journey and lightened the mood with a humorous anecdote.
He revealed that he and his upcoming opponent, Van Gerwen, have been unwinding together by playing Call of Duty each night. Despite their camaraderie off the oche, Humphries assured that there would be no gaming the night before their crucial final match.
“No Call of Duty tonight,” Humphries joked.
“He’s really good fun to play. We enjoy ourselves with a bit of Call of Duty in the nighttime when we’ve both finished our games,” he added with a smile.
“It’s a quick turnaround to the final, so tonight going to be loads of rest and no stress, and Call of Duty is very stressful. I can assure you that,” he told SportsBoom.com.
Image credit: PDC
Friendships Off-Stage, Rivals On-Stage
As Humphries prepares for his historic final appearance in Blackpool, he reflected on the evolving landscape of darts and his approach to competing against friends. He emphasised that while many of his rivals are also good friends, the focus on stage remains purely on winning.
“I consider James Wade a good friend, but it didn't really affect me tonight,” Humphries noted. “I'm good friends with a lot of players, but I don’t see them as friends up there.”
“I look at 'em off the stage. I'm there to win. They're there to win. There's no sort of animosity in the game, but I just want to win.”
Onto the Final
Addressing the nature of playing against friends, Humphries expressed that it does not impact his performance. “I don’t find it hard to play your friends, to be honest, but I’m hoping that it is going to be a good game tomorrow regardless of this,” he said.
As he gears up for the final against Van Gerwen, Humphries remains focused on his goal. With a mix of humour and determination, he is set to give his all in the 2024 World Matchplay final.
Stay tuned to SportsBoom.com for live updates, post-match reports, and interviews from the legendary Winter Gardens in Blackpool. Don't miss a moment of the action!
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