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LUKE HUMPHRIES is confident that his strong bond with ‘little brother’ Luke Littler could shape the darts scene for the coming decade.
Humphries, aged 29, aims to become the FOURTH player to successfully defend the Sid Waddell Trophy, following the legendary Phil Taylor, Adrian Lewis, and Gary Anderson.
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If he manages to win £500,000 on January 3, he will exceed £2 million in prize earnings within this past year — an impressive achievement.
Sport thrives on rivalries, and Cool Hand believes that his journey alongside rising star Littler, 17, will intensify competition and herald in a “new era.”
The world No. 1, who has secured seven major TV titles, shared: “I won my first major just a couple of months before Luke made his debut, and it feels like we’ve been advancing side by side since then.”
“It’s not about one of us outshining the other; we’re both moving forward together.”
“Looking back at history, Phil Taylor ruled until Michael van Gerwen emerged to challenge him. Phil may not have embraced that change, but Michael did.”
“We’ve seen similar patterns with Eric Bristow and Taylor during Phil’s rise.
“What distinguishes us is that we are both flourishing at the same time.”
“While I’ve had more victories in the last 15 months, my hope is that over the next decade we’ll share the honors and build our own legacies.”
This year’s thrilling encounters between the ‘Lukes of Hazard’ witnessed Humphries coming out on top at the Worlds, Littler excelling in the Premier League, and Cool Hand winning at the Players Championship.
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The duo never engages in trash talk, often fist-bumping on stage and exchanging hugs — their competition is a friendly one.
Humphries admitted: “I see myself as an older brother to him. I first met him when he was around 12 or 13.”
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“I was aware of his background and knew his father beforehand. I can only imagine how I’d feel at 17 in this situation.”
“We have both progressed together at the elite level of the sport. Our relationship is strong; he forges his own path, but we always make time to connect.”
“Being at the top of a sport is thrilling — it’s truly an honor.”
“We see it as a privilege that we are the current top two players in the world.”
Humphries kicks off his title defense tonight against either France’s Thibault Tricole or Aussie Joe Comito, with the potential of facing Littler in the semifinals if they both succeed.
The Berkshire native commented: “We hail from different areas — I’m from the south, and he’s from the north — yet we now live close to each other.”
“If someone had told me a couple of years ago that this would happen, I would have found it hard to believe. He probably wouldn’t have either.”
“Circumstances can shift quickly; one of us could rise to prominence, while the other might decline.”
“Currently, we are fiercely contending for titles, and I don’t see that changing.”
“He is much younger, and if he raises his game, I need to step up my own to remain competitive.”
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