There have been seminal moments in time on darts’ journey: the highs and the lows. But there have always been breakthrough moments that have opened the door for a bigger future and as Luke Humphries lifted the Premier League Darts trophy aloft inside a sold-out O2, it was not unreasonable to assume where this game heads next.
In the 1980s, it was Eric Bristow’s pomp and circumstance while dominating in the slightly more low-key venues of Stoke’s Jollees Cabaret Club and the Lakeside. Then it was Phil Taylor who dominated the PDC’s formative years and, yes, while he had the odd rival along the way, it is a fair argument that the 16-time world champion single-handedly broke down barriers for the sport.
But any good sport thrives on elite rivalries. Federer versus Nadal. Frazier versus Ali. Darts’ newest boom has undoubtedly been supercharged by the arrival of Luke Littler but it takes two players to make a great rivalry and goodness, Littler and Humphries underlined how they are the dominant pair in this sport by some distance.
In the end, it was Humphries, who became only the fourth man in history after Taylor, Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson to win darts’ triple crown of the world title, the World Matchplay and the Premier League, who would claim the £275,000 cheque and the title.
But what makes this rivalry special is that it is so unpredictable. This was their 23rd meeting – it is 13-10 in Littler’s favour – and in barely 18 months they have contested two world finals and won one each, and now met in the last two Premier League finals, with Littler winning last year and Humphries here.
Neither were quite at their brilliant best in the semi-finals, Littler defeating Gerwyn Price before Humphries knocked out Nathan Aspinall, but it almost felt like an inevitability that the two Lukes would meet in the final here. Littler, who plays with such an assurance that you could almost imagine him playing Taylor in the smoke-filled Circus Tavern in the 90s, started magnificently.
He went into a 3-0 lead but just as they do every time they meet, Humphries responded to level the scores before the pair went tit-for-tat for 15 engrossing minutes. Whoever blinked first would be struck a fatal blow given the quality this duo possess and here, it was Littler who did that. Humphries made no mistake to win 11-8.
“That one means the world to me – it’s the one I was missing,” said Humphries, who has had Taylor in his corner in recent weeks offering him advice. “If I don’t win another title that’s fine because I’ve won the three hardest ones to win. He wasn’t at his best tonight and nor was I, but I managed to get one over on him. I’ll get these wins in early before he trounces everyone.”
Humphries, despite all of the hype that engulfs Littler, brings the best out of his rival and that can only be good for the game. They will do this on many more occasions – and who knows how much the venues and the interest can grow with this pair driving it.
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“I’m fine. I had a little moment when I lost there, but I’m fine,” Littler said afterwards. It has on occasions felt like a matter of when, not if, Littler usurps Humphries at the top of the rankings and becomes the world No 1. That wait may have to go on for a while yet, but this rivalry will keep delivering for years to come.
Darts’ powerbrokers have struck gold not only with Littler, but with this epic pairing. These two will keep meeting in finals and keep sharing titles. The rest of the game has a long way to go to catch up: we can all sit back and enjoy it.
