Luke Humphries issued an emotional message after missing out on the Nordic Darts Masters title in a deciding-leg defeat to Michael van Gerwen, admitting he has endured “a hard few months” while trying to rediscover his best form. The world number two was beaten 8-7 in Copenhagen, with Van Gerwen taking the title after Humphries missed a match dart at bull in the final leg.
It was a narrow end to a strong weekend for the Englishman, who had earlier averaged 109.92 in his opening-round win over Jeffrey de Graaf and then beaten Luke Littler 7-5 in the semi-finals. Van Gerwen averaged 98.90 in the final, with Humphries close behind on 98.83, as the Dutchman claimed another World Series crown from one of the tightest matches of the weekend.
After the defeat, Humphries posted a message on X apologising for his visible emotion on stage and congratulating Van Gerwen on the win. “Sorry for the emotion on the stage today guys,” Humphries wrote. “I want to congratulate @MvG180 on a fantastic win tonight!! Fully deserved win.” He added: “I hope everyone understands that I just want to give you all the best games and the best entertainment!”
The most revealing part of Humphries’ message came when he looked beyond the final itself and reflected on his wider search for rhythm. “It’s been a hard few months for me trying to find myself again,” he wrote. “I’m close to being where I want to be and I want to thank All my fans for the continued support!” That line followed comments Humphries had made earlier in the weekend after his 6-3 win over De Graaf, where he said he had felt “a lot more comfortable” in his throw over the previous four or five weeks and believed he was playing at a level he could now produce more often.
Humphries ended his X message by turning attention towards the World Cup of Darts, where he will again partner Littler for England. “See you next weekend at the World Cup,” he wrote. England return to Frankfurt after last year’s disappointment against Germany, with Humphries having already admitted earlier in Copenhagen that the pressure on the pair had been “immense” in 2025. He also insisted England are “more prepared this year than ever” and ready to be “more up for it, more feisty” this time. The Nordic Darts Masters ended in frustration, but it also showed Humphries moving closer to the version of himself he has been searching for. One missed dart at bull cost him the title in Copenhagen. The next test comes immediately, this time in an England shirt.
