World Matchplay Darts: Luke Humphries starts with emphatic win

World champion Luke Humphries raced through to round two of the World Matchplay in Blackpool with a comfortable win over German Ricardo Pietreczko.

Humphries made an early statement at the Winter Gardens with a 10-4 victory against the world number 33.

England’s Humphries started quickly by winning the first four legs and never looked back as he averaged a remarkable 108.76.

“The week building up to this, it felt really good but it doesn’t always happen on the stage when you feel good,” Humphries said.

“Tonight it was absolutely fantastic. I felt a million dollars.”

Humphries is appearing at the World Matchplay for the fourth time after a career-best run to the semi-finals in 2023.

He beat Luke Littler to win the World Championship in January and is bidding to become just the fourth player to also scoop the World Matchplay in the same year following Michael van Gerwen, Phil Taylor and Peter Wright.

“It would be lovely [to win both in the same year] but you can’t get carried away. It’s only the first round. I’ve got another four games to go,” said Humphries

“Hopefully, you’ll see me in the final but I need to work to get there.”

Defending champion Nathan Aspinall was made to work for his spot in the second round by fellow Englishman Luke Woodhouse.

World number five Aspinall threw away a two-leg lead and was pegged back at 8-8, before going on to win 10-8.

Earlier in the night on the first day of the World Matchplay, Wales’ Gerwyn Price beat Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney 10-4.

Jonny Clayton, another Welshman, also booked his spot in the second round with a 10-7 victory over Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld.