Luke Humphries has firmly insisted that reaching a record-breaking fourth consecutive World Grand Prix final will ultimately count for nothing unless he caps off his remarkable run by defeating Gerwyn Price to claim the coveted title in Leicester.
The world of professional darts bore witness to history at the Mattioli Arena as Humphries carved his name into the tournament’s record books. By overcoming a resilient James Wade with a hard-fought 5-3 victory in the semi-finals, ‘Cool Hand’ became the first player in the prestigious history of the double-in, double-out tournament to reach the championship showpiece in four consecutive years.
Yet, as Humphries reflected on his latest milestone, his immediate focus remained entirely fixed on Sunday’s ultimate prize. The reigning elite star knows all too well the bitter taste of falling at the final hurdle in this specific tournament. Last year, he suffered a heavy 6-1 thrashing at the hands of teenage sensation Luke Littler in the final, while his 2024 campaign ended in a shock 6-4 defeat to Mike de Decker. Those experiences have left him intensely hungry to replicate his triumphant 2023 campaign, where he famously defeated Price to lift the trophy for the first time.
Speaking openly to Sky Sports after his semi-final triumph, Humphries admitted that the road to this year’s final has been fraught with challenges. Unlike previous years where his momentum felt effortless, the current season has demanded immense resilience and mental fortitude.
"It has been one of those journeys this year that hasn’t been plain sailing," Humphries told Sky Sports. "A few of the years before have felt a lot easier than it has done this year. To make four Grand Prix finals on the trot is super special. It’s history for myself and I’m proud of that, but unless I pick that trophy up, unfortunately, that history doesn’t mean anything. I’ve come here to win it. If I win the trophy, I’ll look back at the history and think that’s amazing."
Humphries’ journey to this latest final arrives against the backdrop of several near-misses on television stages. Since capturing the prestigious Premier League crown in May 2025, the world-class Englishman has endured a string of runner-up finishes in major TV finals, including heartbreaking defeats at the European Championship, the Grand Slam of Darts, and this year’s Premier League final. Ending that frustrating pattern of late-stage defeats has become a primary motivator as he prepares to face Price once again.
Despite acknowledging that his overall form earlier in the season had not always reached his own exceptionally high standards, Humphries expressed immense satisfaction with how he managed to elevate his game when it mattered most. During his semi-final encounter against Wade, the world champion showcased moments of pure brilliance, including a gracious nod of respect to his veteran opponent after Wade pinned a fantastic 141 checkout.
"The way I haven’t been playing hasn’t been the best, but the way I’ve bounced back and performed in that way is great," Humphries added. "I’ve got to do it again tomorrow because there’s so many major finals I’ve let slip. I don’t think I was far from my best. The scoring was pretty decent and the doubling in was good. I felt like that was the most controlled, consistent performance I’ve put in for a long time. The last time I felt like that was maybe the Premier League final against Luke [Littler]. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that control and not like I was going to flounder a little bit. Gezzy [Price] is playing well, but if I play like that again, it’s going to be a cracking game and I hope it is. I’m going to come back tomorrow fresh and believe I can do that again and play even better."
Standing in Humphries’ path is 2020 champion Gerwyn Price, who has fought his own intense battles to reach his fourth World Grand Prix final. This marks Price’s first appearance in the tournament’s showpiece since his defeat to Humphries in 2023. The fiery Welshman booked his place in the final with a 5-2 victory over Nathan Aspinall in the opening semi-final, though the match was overshadowed by a noticeable on-stage friction between the two close friends.
Price admitted openly that he took issue with Aspinall’s interactions with the crowd during their tense last-four clash. The Welsh star revealed that he felt compelled to address his opponent directly mid-match, growing frustrated as the atmosphere inside the arena shifted dramatically in favor of his opponent.
"Nathan [Aspinall] was complaining about the crowd, but they were on his side," Price told Sky Sports. "I’m 3-0 up and I go back and say to Nathan, ‘They’re on your side, bud, come on. Stop performing on the board and just play darts.’ I was a little bit upset with him. As good as the crowd is for me, they were all for him. He’s performing a little bit on stage and I told him I wasn’t happy. I’m great friends with Nathan, but sometimes you’ve just got to let your darts go—when you’re losing, you’re losing."
Price conceded that the emotional turbulence of the semi-final left him feeling less than satisfied with the overall quality of the contest. Having also survived a harrowing encounter where he had to stave off match darts to defeat Jonny Clayton in a thrilling quarter-final, the Welshman recognizes that he will need to find another gear to overcome an in-form Humphries.
"I was frustrated 90 per cent of that game and it’s not good," Price reflected. "I think it was a bit of a poor game, it was up and down. In patches, I’m playing well. When my game is there, I’m playing some of the best stuff in the world. I’m here to win trophies and money, but I’m into another final, third one on the bounce—happy days!"
Mardle expects ‘brilliant final’ between two past champions
Weighing in on the impending championship showdown, Sky Sports Darts expert Wayne Mardle offered a compelling assessment of both finalists’ current trajectories and mental states ahead of Sunday’s headline clash.
"He [Humphries] feels that that was somewhere near his best and that’s confidence," Mardle observed. "I don’t think Gezzy [Price] was at all impressive tonight. I know he won, I just feel that Luke going into that final now will obviously fancy it. I think it’s really impressive the way that he [Humphries] has actually had to play better and did play better in the two games he’s had to do it—putting those bad performances behind him and not worrying about them is growth."
Mardle also pointed out the underlying parallels in the journeys both players have taken to reach this stage, noting that consistency has occasionally eluded even the sport’s biggest names over the course of the tournament.
"It’s easy to look back and think that Luke’s been inconsistent, but so has Gezzy, to a point," Mardle added. "Who was the star of the opening round? It was Price. He played fantastically, but since then, he hasn’t reached those heights—it doesn’t mean that he can’t again. What we both want, what we all want, is for the pair of them to come out guns blazing. Then, we could have a brilliant final on our hands—I just hope it works out that way."
The stage is now firmly set at the Mattioli Arena for a blockbuster conclusion, with two former world champions and previous Grand Prix winners locking horns for the ultimate prize in Leicester.