Peter Wright was moved to tears after dumping Luke Humphries out of the World Darts Championship but showed his class afterwards as he admitted: “It’s lucky I didn’t face Luke at his best.”
The Scot set his sights on a third world title after beating reigning champion Humphries, also the world No.1, by an emphatic 4-1 scoreline, hitting 70 per cent of his doubles and not once dropping his throw.
Yet Wright was full of praise despite some of the fiery words exchanged between the two in the build-up to their fourth-round contest.
Wright – who will play his last-eight match against Stephen Bunting or Luke Woodhouse on New Year’s Day – told Sky Sports: “Luke gave me a load of chances there and didn’t play like he can. I have never had [crowd] support like this in my life. Thank you!
“It’s amazing. I have been struggling with form all year and it’s just so annoying because I know I can still play darts.
“I had to switch to another set there to try and find something. This crowd, I have never experienced anything like this in the world. It’s absolutely amazing. Thank you guys.
“I’m lucky I wasn’t play the Luke Humphries of last year, because he was absolutely awesome.”
Wright, 54, won the World Championship in 2020 and 2022 and added: “I am a double world champion and I want to win it for the third time. I am not too old and you’ve only got to play well for two-and-a-half or three weeks in a year.
“It doesn’t matter what you do for the whole year, these three weeks, that’s all that matters. I’m in the quarter-finals!
“I thought I played rubbish tonight, to be honest. Hopefully I can play better and score better in the next round. As long as this crowd is behind me next time, I’ve got a great chance.”
Sky Sports Darts pundit Laura Turner reacted: “Doubt him [Wright] off at your peril! He said he can compete and he just blew Humphries out of the water!
“My goodness hasn’t Wright been brilliant so far. Luke Humphries didn’t do a great deal wrong, missed a few key opportunities, but Wright found the breaks at the right time. It was just an exceptional all-round performance.
“His doubling stats, 14/20 and 70 per cent. Give him a chance at the outer ring and he was just punishing Luke. He must have felt great.
“He sounded quite harsh on himself there but if he has more gears he thinks he can go through, wow, watch out the rest on the field.
“A word on Humphries as well, who was such a sportsman at the end, congratulating Peter. He has been a fantastic world champion.
“He made Wright play well and it has got to be the best performance we’ve seen from Wright for quite a long time.”