Luke Humphries (Photo by Taylor Lanning/PDC)
Luke Humphries denied Jermaine Wattimena a second Players Championship crown, defeating the Dutchman 8-4 to secure his second Players Championship title of the year in Leicester.
Humphries, who recorded a staggering tournament average of 104.74, claimed his second Players Championship title of the year with a scintillating display of darts, further underlining his status as one of the sport’s elite players.
The world number two snatched the £15,000 top prize with an average just shy of 105 against Wattimena – his sixth ton-plus average of the day, a repeat feat of his success earlier in the year.
The Englishman trailed early in the contest, as Wattimena rattled off back-to-back legs to take a two-leg lead, before Humphries responded quickly with three legs on the spin in just 37 darts to lead the contest 3-2.
Wattimena responded with a five-visit leg of his own, before Humphries once again won three legs on the spin to extend his lead against the Dutchman.
Humphries gave up another consolation leg to Wattimena, before rattling off back-to-back legs in 16 and 14 darts respectively to close out the contest and claim his second ProTour title of the year.
“I was gutted about the Wessel Nijman game, I thought it was going to be one of those days,” uttered Humphries, who produced his only average under a ton against the ProTour rankings leader.
“I said to my family members throughout the day that it was just going to be one of those days.
“When it clicks for me, it clicks for me! When it does, I think people see I’m one of the best players in the world.
“It sets a standard for myself, I can do this a lot more, it’s just up to me to try and provide it a lot more than I do!”
Humphries, who recently secured his place in the Premier League Play-Offs at The O2 Arena next week after victory in Birmingham, reflected on his resurgent form as of late.
“As soon as I walked into that game against Rhys [Griffin], I think I almost had four 11-dart legs on the spin, I knew the game was there today.
“I remember thinking throughout parts of the day that I felt like I just couldn’t miss, and that’s always a dangerous person when you feel like that.”
Having kicked off his campaign with a brilliant 6-3 victory over Griffin, which saw Humphries average a staggering 112.18, the world number two produced three more ton-plus averages of 103, 109 and 105 against Yorick Hofkens, Justin Hood and Christian Kist respectively to reach the last 16.
The former World Champion then defeated in-form Dutchman Nijman 6-3, before pinning his fifth ton-plus average of the day with a 7-2 victory over Danny Noppert.
Wattimena, meanwhile, kicked off his campaign with back-to-back victories over compatriots Alexander Merkx and Jeffrey Sparidaans, before beating Stephen Burton in a comfortable 6-2 win to progress to round four.
The 38-year-old, who finished runner-up at Players Championship Twelve earlier this year, then eased past Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-2, before facing Stephen Bunting in the quarter-finals.
Bunting raced into a 3-1 lead despite the Dutchman producing a 13-dart leg in the second, before Wattimena fired back with five consecutive legs — all won in five visits or fewer — to dispatch the former Masters winner 6-3.
The Dutchman then produced his best average of the day in his semi-final clash against Kevin Doets, winning seven of the nine legs to defeat his compatriot 7-2 with an average of more than 111.
Wattimena opened the contest with a brilliant 13-dart leg before trading legs with Doets to leave the scores tied at 2-2.
“The Machine Gun” would not allow Doets another leg in the contest, reeling off five straight legs in just 66 darts to book his place in the event’s showpiece.
Noppert and Doets were joined in the quarter-finals by Premier League star Bunting, who won three last-leg deciders against Cristo Reyes, Mensur Suljović and Damon Heta respectively to reach the quarter-final stage.
ProTour leader Nijman continued his good form in Leicester despite falling short to Humphries, while Robert Owen made a surprise surge into the quarter-finals, beating Maik Kuivenhoven, Ryan Meikle and Gabriel Clemens along the way.
Dirk van Duijvenbode, who fell short in the final of Players Championship Fifteen to compatriot Michael van Gerwen, failed to overcome Doets despite averaging nearly 100 against his fellow Dutchman.
This week’s ProTour double-header concludes with Players Championship Eighteen on Tuesday, as 128 players compete for the £15,000 top prize.
RESULTS
Last 16
Wessel Nijman 6-5 Andrew Gilding
Luke Humphries 6-2 Christian Kist
Rob Owen 6-2 Maik Kuivenhoven
Danny Noppert 6-3 Ryan Searle
Dirk van Duijvenbode 6-2 Ross Smith
Kevin Doets 6-2 Ross Smith
Stephen Bunting 6-5 Damon Heta
Jermaine Wattimena 6-2 Dimitri Van den Bergh
Quarter-Finals
Luke Humphries 6-3 Wessel Nijman
Danny Noppert 6-5 Rob Owen
Kevin Doets 6-4 Dirk van Duijvenbode
Jermaine Wattimena 6-3 Stephen Bunting
Semi-Finals
Luke Humphries 7-3 Danny Noppert
Jermaine Wattimena 7-2 Kevin Doets
Final
Luke Humphries 8-4 Jermaine Wattimena
