Humphries Achieves Nine-Dart Perfection at Grand Slam; Littler Advances

Luke Humphries delivered an extraordinary performance at the Grand Slam of Darts, securing a stunning nine-dart finish against Michael Smith on November 9, 2023, in Wolverhampton. Simultaneously, Luke Littler progressed to the last 16 of the tournament after defeating Connor Scutt 5-3, showcasing his skills as he aims to defend his title.

Humphries, currently ranked world No 1, initiated his match with a remarkable 139 checkout in the fourth leg. Despite a challenging start, he maintained composure as Smith, known as ‘Bully Boy’, fought back from injury. With the match closely contested at 4-3, Humphries executed a flawless nine-dart sequence, scoring 177, 180, and finishing with T20, T20, D12. This achievement marked his second televised nine-darter and his fourth on a major stage, igniting the crowd into a frenzy.

“I absolutely have no idea where that came from at the end there to be honest,” Humphries reflected after the match. “It was a really, really terrible performance for myself at the start. I guess this happens in darts, I’m not used to it, but up there it felt hard work, it didn’t feel great.”

Despite his earlier concerns, Humphries experienced a surge of confidence during the final leg. He noted, “The whole leg felt effortless, though. When I hit the 177 it didn’t feel hard work… I kind of felt probably more relaxed on the fact that I wasn’t playing well.”

Group Stage Highlights and Upsets

In another crucial match, Nathan Aspinall kept his Grand Slam hopes alive with a hard-fought 5-2 victory over Alex Spellman, who has now been eliminated from contention. Aspinall’s win adds complexity to Group A, where Smith and Humphries still have a chance to secure one of the two available spots.

Beau Greaves, who has been averaging over 100 in the tournament, faced a disappointing 5-4 defeat to Gary Anderson. This loss means Greaves will not qualify for the next stage. The match was a thrilling back-and-forth, with Greaves taking an early lead before Anderson’s experience shone through. The ‘Flying Scotsman’ completed a decisive 103 checkout in the final leg, reinforcing his reputation in the competition.

“She’s brilliant, isn’t she?” Anderson praised Greaves after their match. “I know Fallon (Sherrock) is a great player, and Lisa (Ashton), but Beau is a wee bit different.”

Littler’s victory continued his quest to defend a television title for the first time and potentially ascend to world No 1. He began his match against Connor Scutt with an impressive 121 checkout, demonstrating his skill right from the start. Although Scutt responded with a stunning 170 finish, Littler quickly regained control, concluding the contest with a 102 checkout on tops.

Elsewhere in Group E, Karel Sedlacek eliminated Daryl Gurney from the tournament, while Martin Schindler’s 5-4 win over Stephen Bunting sent the latter home. Luke Woodhouse also advanced with a solid 5-2 victory over Alexis Toylo.

Afternoon Session Results

The afternoon session witnessed Gerwyn Price dominate James Wade, delivering a decisive 5-0 whitewash that knocked Wade out of the competition. This result leaves Wade at the bottom of Group D, with Price now needing to secure a win against Niko Springer for a chance to advance further.

Danny Noppert narrowly overcame Cam Crabtree 5-4, while Lukas Wenig, making his Grand Slam debut, handed Jonny Clayton a 5-3 defeat, eliminating Clayton from contention. In a notable performance, Josh Rock triumphed over Lisa Ashton with a commanding 5-0 victory.

With intense competition continuing throughout the week, fans can tune in to live broadcasts of the Grand Slam of Darts on Sky Sports. The stakes are high as players vie for spots in the knockout stages, with every match presenting the potential for thrilling finishes.