Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Jonathan Veal

Luke Humphries says form is ‘depressing’ after struggling to win in New Zealand

Luke Humphries Haupai Puha New Zealand Luke Littler Auckland EPL the Premier League World Series
Luke Humphries is unhappy with his form (Nigel French/PA) - (PA Wire)

World number one Luke Humphries has described his form as “depressing” after making hard work of his opening round win at the New Zealand Darts Masters.

Humphries beat Haupai Puha 6-4 but was not happy with his display in the World Series event in Auckland.

The 30-year-old has been “out of sorts” since winning the Premier League at the end of May, crashing out of the World Cup and the World Matchplay at the first hurdle.

He averaged 89.47 against the world number 94 but was able to get through.

“I think the last two months it has been hard work,” Humphries admitted on ITV X.

“I am out of sorts, out of form, and struggling to find something. Since the Premier League final I have not been in the form I would have liked.

“It is depressing because I feel like something is there but it’s not coming out.

“It’s really tough to not perform at the level you can. I am finding myself not playing very well at the moment but I can bounce back.

 

“I don’t think I have had one good game of darts in two months. Everyone knows that and everyone can see that.

“That doesn’t stop me coming back tomorrow and being the world number one that everyone knows.”

World number two Luke Littler is having no such problems as he made it 10 wins on the bounce.

Littler, who won the Australian Masters last week, did not need to be at his absolute best to beat Mark Cleaver 6-4.

He sets up a quarter-final tie with Mike De Decker, who beat Gordon Mathers 6-1, as he has eyes on a Down Under double.

There were also wins for Stephen Bunting, Gerwyn Price and Josh Rock.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Even the tooth fairy is cutting back. The average price per tooth in America just saw its biggest drop in 27 years
For the first time since 2000, the S&P index has outperformed the Tooth Fairy Index.
Fortune
Fortune
Prison, revenge porn and blush-pink villas: your ultimate guide to the Real Housewives franchise
As the Real Housewives of London prepares to land, we give you a beginner’s guide to everything you need to know about its sister shows. Brace for chaos
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
How a father’s love and a pandemic created a household name
Made by a pharmacist whose son was sick with croup, Vicks VapoRub saw skyrocketing sales during the 1918 Spanish flu.
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Voices: Like Prince Harry, I’ve been lobster-shamed
COMMENT: In the trailer for the latest series of her Netflix cookery show, Meghan giggles with a celebrity chef about her husband’s aversion to eating lobster – but he ought to be applauded for taking a stand against a cruel delicacy, not derided, says Charlotte Cripps
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Mary Phillips' Transformed Her Viral Underpainting Technique Into a Makeup Brand
Hailey Bieber's makeup artist, Mary Phillips, just dropped a makeup line based on her viral technique.
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
X-ray telescope finds something unexpected with the 'heartbeat black hole'
Unexpected X-ray polarization challenges long-held ideas about how black holes behave.
Space
Space
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play