Luke Humphries and Luke Littler get on well, but they cannot be ‘the best of friends’ as they battle it out to be the supreme force on the oche.
The pair met in the World Championship final in January, with Humphries lifting the trophy and ending Littler’s headline-grabbing run at Alexandra Palace at just 16 years old.
The world champion has continued to shine this year, remaining world number one and winning events including the World Matchplay and Players Championship Finals.
The Nuke has also sparkled, though, winning 10 tournaments in total this year, most notably the Premier League and Grand Slam of Darts.
The two players return to Alexandra Palace this month as the most-fancied to leave with the trophy, with the bookmakers slightly edging Littler over the defending champion.
Despite this battle for supremacy it has been a very friendly rivalry thus far, with the world champion not fazed by the superstardom Littler has achieved despite being the runner-up a year ago.
‘He’s more recognised than me but that’s fine because I didn’t dream of being a famous person,’ Humphries told The Guardian. ‘I dreamt of being world champion – and I achieved that dream.
‘I’m an older guy, I’ve got a family at home. That’s my priority. At the moment, he’s young and free and living the celebrity lifestyle. Fair play to him.
‘I can’t be jealous of it. I can only admire him as a 17-year-old. The last time we’ve seen anything like this would maybe have been with Boris Becker – when you show no fear and fight your best under pressure.’
Cool Hand enjoys the lack of hostility with his rival, but admits that they cannot possibly be best pals given they are trying to beat each other to the biggest prizes in the game.
‘I’d rather be friends. There’s nothing to dislike about him,’ Humphries said of Littler. ‘He doesn’t say anything horrible, he’s quite placid and down-to-earth and that’s why you see a friendly atmosphere when we play. There’s no animosity as we’re privileged to be the two top players in darts.
‘I’m winning and losing finals against him and each match between us is an event. So we’re not the best of friends but we get on well.’
The 29-year-old got the better of the teenager in their last meeting, beating Littler 11-7 to win the Players Championship Finals in November, but even the world champ admits the Nuke might be throwing slightly better arrows heading into Ally Pally.
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‘It is quite close between us both to be honest, but with the averages he is putting in, it is fair to say he is playing the best darts at the moment,’ Humphries told Sky Sports. ‘But the World Championship is different. It is tough.
‘It is not a foregone conclusion. It is massive opportunity for both of us – for me to win my second and for him to pick up his first.’
Littler is reluctant to declare himself the best in the world, but does admit that the statistics suggest that is the case.
‘I don’t know. I never say it. Stats wise? Yeah,’ said the 17-year-old. ‘It was good for Luke winning the Players Championship so both of us will be definitely ready for the Worlds.’
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