Darts results: Luke Humphries defeats record-breaking Luke Littler on way to winning the Czech Darts Open title
Littler had set a tournament record average of 110.43 during his second-round match in Prague on Saturday but eclipsed that mark twice more on a sensational concluding day before bowing out to Humphries in a thrilling semi-final.
The Premier League champion reached a staggering 116 in a 6-3 triumph over Damon Heta in the third round and then demolished Michael van Gerwen 6-1 with a 110.6 in a quarter-final that saw the Dutchman manage 112.2; the highest losing average in European Tour history.
However, an effort of 107 wasn’t enough to overcome the world number one, who recently finished runner-up at the World Grand Prix, as Humphries averaged 108.6 in a 7-4 victory.
Cool Hand then brushed aside Kim Huybrechts 8-1 with an average of 105.8 in the final to complete one of the greatest European Tour campaigns of all-time and clinch the £30,000 top prize.
The 29-year-old began his campaign with a trio of 6-2 wins against Ritchie Edhouse, Gian van Veen and Mike De Decker, posting a hat-trick of ton-plus averages in the process.
Following victory over Edhouse, Humphries reeled off six straight legs to demolish Van Veen with a 106 average, before avenging his defeat to De Decker in last week’s World Grand Prix final.
“When I beat Ritchie Edhouse on Saturday I felt good, but I felt I needed a spark, and I found it today,”reflected Humphries, who averaged 105.57 and pinned eight of his 12 attempts at double to dispatch Huybrechts in the final.
“When I beat Gian I felt that spark again, but I still know there’s another level in me, and I believe I can get better.
“It’s nice to bounce back [from the World Grand Prix], because when you lose in major finals it’s not easy; it does hurt you, so this is a nice way to finish my ProTour season.
“I’m going to come back next year and I’m going to work harder. I’m going to change things and I’m going to win more – that’s my commitment to the game!”
Huybrechts – featuring in his sixth European Tour final – was unable to cap off a remarkable campaign with victory, although he was determined to take the positives on his big stage return.
“I’m happy to reach another final,” declared the Belgian number three.
“I wasn’t even in this event originally. I lost in qualification and now I’m in the final!
“This game [against Luke] came too early for me. Last week I was struggling to make the World Championship, so to be in a final against the world number one, it was always going to be tough.
“Give me another year or 18 months – when I have this flow in me, then I will give him a game!”
Huybrechts enjoyed a miraculous run to the final in Prague, overcoming Luke Woodhouse, Pavel Drtil, Jermaine Wattimena and Niels Zonneveld to pocket £12,000 in prize money.
The Belgian failed to progress through a solitary European Tour Qualifier in 2024, although Rob Cross’ withdrawal through illness afforded Huybrechts an unexpected opportunity this weekend.
The 38-year-old crashed in a ten-darter to defeat Woodhouse in a dramatic second round decider on Saturday, which he backed up with 6-4 successes against Host Nation Qualifier Drtil and Wattimena.
Huybrechts then survived a match dart in defeating a crestfallen Zonneveld in the semi-finals, denying the Dutchman a place at next week’s European Championship in the process.
Zonneveld would have replaced Dirk van Duijvenbode in the 32-player field with victory over Huybrechts, having also defeated Dave Chisnall, Ricardo Pietreczko and Jonny Clayton to reach a maiden European Tour semi-final.