Defending Players Championship champion Luke Humphries will begin his bid for a third consecutive title at Butlin’s Minehead Resort and will be looking to put behind his loss to world champion Luke Litter at the Grand Slam of Darts less than a week ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That defeat also saw Humphries surrendering his world number one ranking to Littler. The \u00a3600,000 tournament – featuring the top 64 players on the 2025 Players Championship rankings\u00a0– will start later tonight, as the sport’s biggest names go head-to-head across three days of action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The blockbuster opening day will see 32 matches with Humphries, Littler and top seed Gerwyn Price amongst the headline acts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Following his incredible comeback victory over Michael van Gerwen in 2023, Humphries \u2013 who finished 58th\u00a0on this year’s Players Championship rankings – retained his title with an 11-7 success against Littler in last year’s showpiece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the 30-year-old faces a tough opening assignment against Dutch star Gian van Veen, in a repeat of last month’s European Championship final in Dortmund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t think there’s many players that have won this tournament three times in a row, so hopefully I can create a bit more history this weekend,” admitted Humphries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’m feeling really confident. I know I’ve lost three major finals in a row, but when you’re playing well you always feel another chance is going to come around straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Gian is a potential winner of every tournament at the moment. He’s going to be a formidable force, but it’s up to me to stop him tomorrow.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It will also be a landmark weekend for Littler, who returns to action for the first time since being officially crowned as the new world number one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Littler secured his spot at the darting summit by retaining his Grand Slam of Darts crown on Sunday, which saw him become the youngest world number one in PDC history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Warrington wonderkid is now setting his sights on a sixth televised ranking title of the 2025 season, as he opens his challenge against Sweden’s number one Jeffrey de Graaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It’s going to be a very special feeling coming in as the world number one,” insisted Littler, the number 36 seed this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I came up just short here last year, so hopefully I can tick this one off the list, because it’s one of the few televised tournaments I’ve never won.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I don’t think it matters what seed you are. Nothing is going to be easy, but hopefully I can build on the form I produced at the Grand Slam.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Littler and Humphries have been the dominant forces on the sport’s biggest stages this year, although the Players Championship circuit has been monopolised by another former World Champion in Price.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Welshman has displayed remarkable consistency on the ProTour circuit, winning a quartet of Players Championship titles and featuring in a further two finals, despite only competing in 21 events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Going in as the number one seed definitely gives me confidence,”\u00a0declared Price, who will take on Germany’s Max Hopp for a place in Round Two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’ve played consistently well on the floor, but now I need to start replicating that in the TV events, and fingers crossed I can do that in Minehead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“I’m expecting a tough game against Max. He’s only been back on the circuit this year, but he’s a great player. I won’t be taking him lightly, but it’s a game I believe I can come through.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Price’s fellow countryman Jonny Clayton will enter the fray today, with the Welsh number one pitted against James Hurrell in his opener.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former finalists Dave Chisnall and Rob Cross face Ryan Joyce and Sebastian Bialecki respectively, with world number five James Wade and in-form Dutchman Danny Noppert also set to star.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Elsewhere, former World Grand Prix champion Mike De Decker meets rising star Cam Crabtree, while fourth seed Ross Smith goes up against Ryan Meikle. The Suffolk star has been drafted in as a late replacement for Niko Springer, who withdrew from the event through illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
German number one Martin Schindler will be up against a resurgent Michael Smith, before Gabriel Clemens locks horns with World Cup champion Josh Rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
World number four Stephen Bunting tackles 2024 European Champion Ritchie Edhouse in another eye-catching tie, as Czech number one Karel Sedlacek and former World Matchplay champion Nathan Aspinall collide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Belgium’s Mario Vandenbogaerde awaits 2014 champion Anderson in Round One, while 2021 winner Wright renews his rivalry with former Masters champion Joe Cullen in a mouth-watering encounter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Somerset star Ryan Searle \u2013 runner-up to Wright in 2021 \u2013 marks his return to home soil against Darren Beveridge, with second seed Wessel Nijman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Damon Heta, Chris Dobey, Jermaine Wattimena and Dirk van Duijvenbode also headline on Stage Two, as Poland’s number one Krzysztof Ratajski goes up against five-time World Champion Raymond van Barneveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2018 champion Daryl Gurney will play his compatriot Brendan Dolan in arguably the pick of the fixtures, while 2023 Ladbrokes UK Open champion Andrew Gilding eyes another memorable Minehead victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Winmau World Youth Championship final will be held between the semi-finals and final on Sunday night, as reigning champion Van Veen faces Women’s Series winner Beau Greaves in a blockbuster encounter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Defending Players Championship champion Luke Humphries will begin his bid for a third consecutive title at Butlin’s Minehead<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6304,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6302","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t