World Darts Championship: Luke Humphries sets up Peter Wright last-16 clash as Gerwyn Price beats Joe Cullen in sudden-death thriller | Darts News

Luke Humphreys stormed into the fourth round of the World Darts Championship with a straight sets victory over Nick Kenny, the same night Gerwyn Price won the final against Joe Cullen.

World No.1 Humphries won nine of the last 10 legs and averaged 98.59 in a 4-0 victory over Kenny to set up a last-16 clash between the defending champion and two-time winner Peter Wright.

Wright, despite visibly battling illness, produced his best performance of a tough 2024 as he defeated Jermaine Vattimena 4-2.

Price defeats Cullen though “The Big Fish” in an epic finish

Earlier, Price produced a remarkable opening match against Cullen, where he barely went 3-0 up in the set and denied three match darts while being broken three times on the throw for the game.

Two of the game’s missed goals came before an incredible 170 minutesBig fishCullen’s finish, just one second into the tournament, tied the final set at 5-5 and forced a sudden-death leg.

However, it was 2021 winner Price who would finally secure his place in the fourth round with a seventh straight break as he finally found the topspin with his fourth dart to set up a next meeting with Welshman Jonny Clayton.

“The crowd was pretty much behind him and I actually thought I was going to lose that match,” Price said afterward.

“I put myself in that position, but I got myself out of it. I stayed in that position until the end and luckily I got the win.

“I’ve got a lot more in the tank and I’m going to play a lot better than I did tonight. I did enough to win and I’m just happy with that.”

In the second game of the evening, Wright put on a performance that belied his health struggles; “Snakebite” apologetically rejected his trademark walking dance moves from the crowd before coughing his way through a victory over Vattimena.

The 2020 and 2022 champion averaged an impressive 96.19 and while Vatimena himself rose to 96.50, it was Wright who produced the key moments to keep the Dutchman at bay.

He will now face Humphries in the next round, who despite not producing his best darts, made light work of Kenny in the final contest on Friday night.

The defending champion stole the first set with a last-leg break after Kenny missed a costly double at 16, while he was broken to start the second, but thoughts of a closely contested battle were quickly put to bed when Humphreys reeled off nine of the next 10 legs, incl 145 in the fourth set.

Humphreys enjoys Wright’s collision | “To give more”

“It was one of those games where I didn’t want to take it for granted,” Humphries said.

“I wasn’t shooting. I felt like I had to give a lot more, but a solid performance. As long as I can keep winning every set, that’s what matters.

“I’m not going to give up this world title without a fight. It’s not my best, but when someone pushes me, I know I can deliver the goods.”

Looking back on his match with Wright, Humphreys added: “He said a few things in the last round. He said Barney (Raymond van Barneveld) was going to smash me and he was going to smash Jermaine (Watimena).

“He said he’s not afraid of me and Luke Littler, so we’ll see when we play again.”

Banting enters the fourth round after Heta suffered a nine-ball defeat

In the afternoon, Stephen Bunting advanced to the fourth round with a victory over Latvia’s Madars Razma, while Damon Heta produced a sensational strike. nine archers losing to Luke Woodhouse.

Bunting is one of the tournament’s dark horses, especially since half of the original 32 seeds are already out, and he raced Razma 4-1 despite not being at his best.

The former Lakeside champion, whose previous best run at Alexandra Palace came in 2021 when he reached the semi-finals, will next play Wodehouse after he roared to a 3-1 lead with a nine-footer on the turn to beat Hetta 4-3 and his career for the first time comes out to the 16th position.

In the first match after a short Christmas break, Heta produced the second perfect leg of this year’s tournament, sending the friendly Pali crowd into raptures in the second set; Wodehouse was also wildly celebrating the special moment.

Dutchman Christian Kist had the first perfect game in the opening round last week and also lost his match.The record for most nine shots in a World Cup is three in 2022, so one more will equal that feat.

Heath wins £60,000 for his nine darts but, like a happy fan from fellow Pally crowd, tournament sponsor Paddy Power has also donated £60,000 to Prostate Cancer to mark the occasion.

The afternoon’s other match was won by Clayton as he held off Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney to win 4-3.

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