Sat. Dec 21st, 2024
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World champion Luke Humphries conceded just 11 legs across five matches to win his second Czech Open title in Prague.

Humphries defeated Luke Littler 7-4 in the semi-finals before thrashing Belgium’s Kim Huybrechts 8-1 in Sunday’s final.

He had earlier claimed a trio of 6-2 wins over Ritchie Edhouse, Gian van Veen and Mike de Decker, avenging his defeat by the Dutchman in last week’s World Grand Prix final.

Humphries seized the initiative early in the decider with back-to-back 16-dart legs, only for Huybrechts to halve the deficit in leg three.

But Humphries then threw three consecutive 12-darters to take control of the match and go on to claim his seventh European Tour title.

“When I beat Ritchie Edhouse on Saturday I felt good, but I felt I needed a spark and I found it today,” he said.

“When I beat Gian I felt that spark again, but I still know there’s another level in me and I believe I can get better.”

Littler’s passage to the last four included a new tournament-record average of 116.51 in a 6-3 success over Damon Heta in the last 16.

The 17-year-old then beat Michael van Gerwen 6-1 in the quarter-finals, despite the Dutchman posting an average of 112.19 in defeat – the highest losing average in European Tour history.

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