Luke Humphries and Mike De Decker advance to the World Grand Prix final showdown.
Luke Humphries in celebration (Photo by Simon O’Connor/PDC)
Luke Humphries and Mike De Decker are set to compete in the 2024 World Grand Prix final after they decisively defeated Ryan Joyce and Dimitri van den Bergh in Saturday’s semi-finals.
Humphries charged into a second consecutive final in Leicester, keeping his impressive title defense on track. Meanwhile, De Decker advanced to his first-ever PDC major final with an unprecedented performance.
Humphries delivered a commanding 5-0 victory over Joyce, losing only three legs while achieving an average score of 100.3. During this performance, he hit eight 180s and completed four checkouts exceeding one hundred points each.
The world’s top player successfully made 60 percent of his finishing double attempts and 47 percent of his starting doubles. This performance helped him overcome a brilliant effort from Joyce, who averaged a score of 94 and hit an impressive 64 percent on his starting doubles.
Humphries swept through the first set with ease, preventing any response from Joyce. Although Joyce managed to gain an edge in the second set by securing two 12-darters, it was ultimately the reigning champion who dominated by taking the next three legs—including a remarkable 112 checkout for a 12-dart break of throw—thereby extending his lead further.
Joyce achieved an impressive 11-darter to narrow the gap to 2-1 in the third set. However, Humphries surged ahead with a remarkable performance, extending his lead to 3-0 by achieving a dazzling 144 checkout and surpassing it with a stunning 146 finish. He then sealed his victory by landing a brilliant 110 checkout, sweeping through the final two sets without any response from Joyce.
“It felt special—winning 5-0 is quite flattering, and it takes two to tango,” said Humphries. “The performance was exactly what we needed, with Ryan also being brilliant.”
I needed to perform at that level, but I know I’m capable of delivering strong performances and have confidence in myself during important moments.
“I was much more relaxed tonight and played my best. If I can do the same tomorrow, it could be an amazing game since Mike is also playing well.”
“I truly believe it’s a dream final. We’ve had numerous battles, and it promises to be an exciting game. Mike is in great form, and I know I’ll need to perform at my best once more.”
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De Decker advanced to his first televised final with an impressive 5-2 victory against fellow Belgian Dimitri van den Bergh.
UK Open champion Van den Bergh dominated the opening set without a response, but De Decker quickly hit his stride, winning three sets in a row to gain control of the match.
The second set extended to a decisive leg with De Decker evening the score. He then impressively secured six consecutive legs, preventing Van den Bergh from attempting a double in the game’s fourth set and establishing a 3-1 lead.
Van den Bergh kicked off the fifth set with an impressive 170 checkout, while De Decker answered by hitting two bullseyes to finish a 120 combination. The former Premier League star then secured the set with legs of 13 and 14 darts.
However, in set six, De Decker delivered an impressive 150 checkout and secured two double 16 finishes on either side of it, advancing to a 4-2 lead.
Van den Bergh won the first leg of set seven, but missed doubles turned out to be costly. De Decker took advantage by moving ahead and finished with a 13-darter for an unforgettable victory.
De Decker has lost only three sets across four matches, becoming the first Belgian to advance to the World Grand Prix final. During a landmark week at the Mattioli Arena, he defeated Damon Heta, Gary Anderson, and James Wade.
“I’m absolutely thrilled—truly ecstatic,” said De Decker. “At the start of the game, I was incredibly nervous.”
There has been a lot of focus on this game, and after winning the second set, I felt more at ease, realizing that I am still capable of playing well.
Dimitri had a few sets where he didn’t begin strongly, and I capitalized on that.
“I’m thrilled by the feeling of victory; the crowd has been incredibly supportive, and I’m eagerly anticipating tomorrow.”
