Luke Humphries powered into the next round of the UK Open with a convincing 10-3 victory over Luke Woodhouse in Minehead, posting an average of more than 105 with clinical finishing. Yet the reigning world champion remained notably critical of his own performance, telling dartsnews.com, "It sounds strange, but I still thought I could have played a little bit better." Humphries acknowledged his doubles were good but felt frustrations in the game, adding, "When I came off I saw Wayne and he said, 'Was that not 100 average? Was it that good?' I didn't really feel like it was."
Humphries highlighted the tough draw, stating, "I really rate Wessel as a player. I think he's a really tough player to face. When you see the draw and you get him, you think it's not the best draw in the world." He credited his preparation routine, which includes watching the draw live to estimate match times, saying, "When you're playing at eight you have to prepare for that. Three and a half hours is about the time I like to prepare." Despite strong performances this season, Humphries admitted results haven't always followed, noting, "Yes and no. Of course when you're playing well and not getting the results you want it is frustrating," but believes patience will pay off.
The world number two revealed that his rivalry with Luke Littler is a key motivator, explaining, "But when you've got such a dominant force in Luke, you're kind of thinking right, you have to try and chase him." This has led him to make subtle changes to his setup, as he searches for marginal gains: "I've changed a few things this year and they have been working. I do believe I can make it more consistent." Humphries also commented on the rising standards in darts, saying, "There are so many players outside the top 16 now who are really good," and emphasized the need for constant improvement to stay ahead.
On his Premier League standings, where he sits outside the top four, Humphries expressed no concern, stating, "Never. For me I'll never hope for points. I'm just there to entertain the crowd and keep pushing myself to put in good performances." He added, "If it gets to week 16 and I'm fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth, it doesn't matter as long as I've put the effort in and tried my best." His focus remains on reaching the O2, concluding, "I couldn't care less whether it's fourth, third or second. As long as I'm at the O2, that's what I'm pushing for."
