(Luke Humphries (Photo Simon O'Connor/PDC)
Luke Humphries and Gerwyn Price will face off in the World Grand Prix darts final after defeating James Wade and Nathan Aspinall respectively in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Humphries and Price prevailed at the Mattioli Arena to set up a tantalising showdown in the final, with both players honing in on the £150,000 top prize and a second double-start title.
World number two Humphries fended off James Wade 5-3 in a remarkably consistent display, becoming the first player in World Grand Prix history to reach four consecutive finals.
The 2023 champion traded blows with his opponent in the opening four sets, with Wade levelling on two occasions to keep the tie neck-and-neck.
Humphries’ doubling-in shone in the subsequent two sets, missing just two darts in the nine legs it took him to burst into a 4-2 lead, even if he was made to survive a set dart from Wade to level the contest at 3-3.
Although the two-time winner threatened a comeback by taking the seventh set, Humphries took three legs straight to complete an accomplished performance and confirm his spot in the showpiece.
“I’m really, really proud of myself for performing like that,” said Humphries, who defeated Price in the final three years ago to claim his first Premier televised title.
“I’m proud of the way I’ve bounced back from a couple of bad performances in this tournament, but that was the real me there.
“Gezzy is playing well, but if I play like that again it’s going to be a cracking final, and I hope it is!
“To make four World Grand Prix finals on the trot is super special. It’s history for myself, and nobody has ever done it before, so I am proud of that.
“Unless I pick up that trophy, unfortunately that history doesn’t mean anything. I’ve come here to win the trophy.”
Price powered to a fourth World Grand Prix final with a 5-2 victory over Aspinall in a fierce contest, largely thanks to a stellar double-in success rate of 51%.
The Welsh number one bulldozed into a one-set lead with a 109.98 average, before taking the next two sets to boast a commanding three set lead.
Nevertheless, 2022 runner-up Aspinall rallied with an impressive spell, winning six of the next eight legs including a stunning 132 checkout to reduce the arrears to 3-2.
After a nervy sixth set that Price edged to go one away, the Welsh number one shored up a 5-2 triumph to reach a third consecutive Premier event final after finishing runner-up at this year’s World Matchplay and World Series of Darts Finals.
“I think it was a bit of a poor game, it was up and down,” assessed Price, who accounted for Sebastian Bialecki, Ross Smith and Jonny Clayton before seeing off Aspinall to progress to the final.
“In patches, I’m playing well. When my game is there, I’m playing some of the best stuff in the world.
“This week, the first game was brilliant, against Jonny I was good in patches, and in this game I was good in patches.
“I’m here to win trophies and money, but I’m into another final, third one on the bounce – happy days!”
RESULTS
Semi-Finals
Gerwyn Price 5-2 Nathan Aspinall (3-0, 3-2, 3-1, 1-3, 1-3, 3-1, 3-1)
Luke Humphries 5-3 James Wade (3-1, 1-3, 3-1, 1-3, 3-1, 3-2, 1-3, 3-0)
