Top seed Luke Humphries beat Dimitri van den Bergh, while James Wade relived his old success in Blackpool. Darts returns on Friday with Sky Sports action from 8pm and the final two quarter-finals of the World Matchplay on Sky Sports Main Event.
Friday, July 19, 2024 0:01, UK
Luke Humphries reached the semi-finals of the World Matchplay on Thursday by beating Dimitri van den Berg to set up a match against James Wade.
The world champion averaged 101.21, including a magnificent 164 on his way to a 16-10 victory over the ‘Dream Makers’.
He next faces 2007 champion Wade on Saturday, but before then “The Machine” is in the semi-finals for the first time in nine years with a stunning win over Ross Smith by the same score.
Luke Humphries and Dimitri van den Bergh delivered their best Cole Palmer impersonations as the world champion impersonated the Belgian on stage at the Winter Gardens.
The world number one started fast, beating van den Bergh in the opening leg and then went on to win by four maximums to take a 3-0 lead.
Van den Bergh, who beat Humphries in the UK Open final in March, then scored more darts and won another leg to go into the first interval at 3-2 down.
The Belgian, who was World Match Play champion behind closed doors in Milton Keynes in 2020, equalised after the restart when Humphries failed to make 46 before van den Bergh scored to take the lead for the first time at 4-3.
Humphries scored this stunning bullseye finish against van den Bergh.
Humphries held on with his next delivery and the gap between the two sides almost disappeared, with the world champions leading 8-7 going into the half-time break.
A dart from van den Bergh followed a 115 checkout and took another leg to put Humphries 11-8 up, but the Belgian managed to get another leg back before the next interval.
But Humphries then stepped up a gear, winning five straight legs with a brilliant 164 finish and imitating van den Bergh’s “chicken celebration” to win 16-10 and reach a second successive World Matchplay semi-final.
Humphries said he was lacking in confidence despite his win over van den Berg and the mind games the pair engaged in.
“After the first five games I was feeling down and tired, which is normal in random games. I didn’t feel like the true Luke Humphries tonight,” Humphries said. Sky Sports.
“But I told myself: ‘Just hang in there, work hard and don’t play with your mind.'”
“We worked incredibly hard in the final session to get over the finish line and it was a great performance in the last few legs.”
Wade’s Vintage Display
Wade produced a brilliant performance, scoring 13 180s at an average of 100.30, to reach his ninth World Matchplay semi-final.
Wade was on the back foot in this bout but was the front runner for much of the match and used his signature finishing moves under pressure to prevent “The Smudger” from making a comeback.
Wade said after beating Smith that there’s more to come.
“I feel really good afterwards,” Wade said. “It was fun, a great game, and I’m just happy I played a little bit better than Ross that night.”
“He played really well at the beginning. I felt like I dragged him into a brawl, but after that I took control.”
“The goals were good, but I’ve played better in practice so it’s not a surprise.
“There were times I thought I could have played better and I know I can play better.”
Smith was in good form, averaging 114 over the first five legs to take a 3-2 lead.
Let’s take a look at some of Wade’s best moments from his quarterfinal win…
Wade hit checkouts at 120 and 121 to take a 6-4 lead, then recorded his third 100-point finish of the match to take an 8-5 lead.
Wade missed four darts to go 10-5 down before Smith closed the gap to 9-6 with a perfect finish of 107.
Wade then kicked home and won three of the next four legs to lead 12-7 before Smith made his second of 107 to level the score.
Smith fought on and produced a brilliant 161 checkout to put him at 13-10, but it was his final leg before Wade won three to seal the win.
What will happen at the World Matchplay on Friday?
The 2024 Betfred World Matchplay continues at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens with the final two quarter-finals broadcast on Friday 19 July on Sky Sports Action from 8pm and Sky Sports Main Event from 9pm. Get instant access to World Matchplay for just £26 now.
Three-time winner Michael van Gerwen will continue his title fight with Andrew Gilding in a quarter-final that will be a repeat of the memorable 2023 UK Open final, while Rob Cross is set for a fascinating quarter-final clash with Michael Smith.
The iconic summer tournament will see 32 of the world’s best stars compete over nine days for the Phil Taylor Trophy and £800,000 prize money.
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