'When he's on it, he's untouchable': Luke Humphries lauds great rival Luke Littler after incredible Auckland win

Luke Humphries admitted he could do little to stop the brilliance of Luke Littler after falling short in the final of the 2025 New Zealand Darts Masters. The defending champion produced a strong showing throughout the tournament but ultimately ran into what he described as a “juggernaut” in Sunday’s showpiece.

Humphries came into the event admitting he wasn’t at his sharpest. The world number one had spoken about feeling drained during the early rounds, and although he raised his level to reach the final, he conceded that Littler was simply in a different gear when it mattered most.

“Yeah, I did,” Humphries said when asked about running into an unstoppable force in the final. “Yesterday, when I was playing, I felt a bit drained. I felt like the performances were coming too often. So I was thinking, like we said yesterday, all it needs is one good day for me. And to be fair, I played all right today, but when you run into a 115 average, there’s not really much you can do.”

Humphries pointed to a key moment in the sixth leg where a miss from Littler might have allowed him a way back into the contest. “I think that one leg, if he’d have missed that in the sixth leg, might have given me a glimmer of hope,” he reflected. “But for sure, the better player won, and when he’s on it, he’s untouchable. But I held in there a little bit. He was just too good in the end.”

Rivalry

The rivalry between Humphries and Littler has quickly become the defining battle of modern darts. In the last twelve months, the pair have contested finals on the biggest stages, with Humphries prevailing in the World Championship, the Players Championship Finals, and the Premier League. While their meetings are never easy, Humphries insists he relishes the challenge of taking on Littler, knowing it brings out his best darts.

“Yeah, I mean, you could say it’s inconvenient,” Humphries explained. “But when his music goes on and my music’s going, I live for it. This is what I want to do. I want to play him all the time. And he really gets me up for it. I know I didn’t start off very good, but for me, it was a really good game. He was unbelievable there. It is inconvenient when you run into someone who’s as good as him, but I gave my best there, and it was a tough game.”