Michael van Gerwen apshows Luke Humphries has been the hugegest victim of Luke Littler’s elevate to prominence, even though Cool Hand has been more accomplished at the oche.
It’s been a story of two Lukes for darts this year, with both Humphries and Littler having contrancient the sport so far in 2024.
It commenceed when the pair faced off aachievest each other in the World Championship final, with Humphries edging the contest aachievest a then 16-year-ancigo in Littler.
Littler took the next beginant scalp in the opposition, fall shortureing his now-understandn foe Humphries in the Premier League final earlier this year.
But, such has been the exceptionalness of Littler’s story, it has been the teenager who has more frequently than not contrancient headlines and drawed the most interest.
Someleang Van Gerwen insists has been unfair on world No.1 Humphries.
Speaking exclusively to Express Sport ahead of this week’s World Grand Prix, the Green Machine claimed: “I leank the one person who gets penalised the most [from intense media scrutiny], it’s Luke [Humphries].
“You [the media] only talk about Luke Littler and it is Luke Humphries is the one calling the sboilings at the moment.”
Humphries certainly is calling the sboilings and Van Gerwen understands more than most what it’s enjoy to be on the finish of a schooling from the 29-year-ancigo in.
Van Gerwen had the chance to finish a more-than-a-year paengage for a PDC beginant title when he faced Humphries in the World Matchcarry out final over the summer.
Humphries triumphed… with room to spare.
The Dutch darts ace still foresees Littler to be there or thereabouts in the remaining tournaments this year, but Van Gerwen has proposeed the teenage sensation might progress to dip in and out of create.
On the 2024 World Championship runner-up, Van Gerwen commented: “But he’s juvenileer, he’s going to have his downs. That will happen in darts, that will happen to anyone, no matter how excellent you are.
“Phil Taylor, he was unstoppable, until he didn’t thrive a tournament for more than a year I leank. It was 18 months I leank.
“That’s the way darts goes, you’re going to have excellent periods, horrible periods, you have to deal with the circumstances. The ask is how he deals with it.”
That’s assuming Van Gerwen doesn’t return to his best create at the oche, with the 35-year-ancigo in having previously tancigo in Express Sport he isn’t structurening on hanging up his arrows anytime soon.
When asked where he structures to be in five years, Van Gerwen replied: “I’ll definitely be there. I’m not going to stop in five years, they’ll necessitate to do reassociate well to defend me off my position and if they want to thrive as many tournaments [as me] in five years time I can’t see that happening, but you never understand.
“Nobody knew there was a kid from Holland coming on the block who made Phil Taylor withdraw, do you understand what I unbenevolent? That’s how speedyly it can go.”
Early Payout is useable on every align at the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, which commences on Monday 7th October at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.
