Luke Humphries admitted he needed to improve despite storming into the quarter-finals of the PDC World Darts Championship at Alexandra Palace with a 4-1 win over Dutchman Kevin Doets.
Humphries, the 2024 champion, hit back after losing the first set to cruise through the next four and book a last-eight clash with rising star Gian van Veen.
Humphries said in his on-stage interview: “It was a decent performance – it kind of dropped off towards the end, but when you’re 3-1 up, you want a good set to prove yourself and not create any unnecessary drama.
“I feel like I’ve played well but I feel like there’s another level in me, which is important. If you’re going to win this tournament, you have to have another level in you because that won’t win you the World Championship.”
Humphries will get the test he needs against Van Veen, who scarcely needed to emerge from second gear as he ended the dream run of 20-year-old debutant Charlie Manby with a 4-1 win.
Former two-time champion Gary Anderson also advanced to the last eight as he sunk below-par Michael van Gerwen by the same score.
Frequent mixed doubles cost the three-time winner dear and means Van Gerwen has been knocked out before the quarter-finals for the first time in a decade.
“I knew Michael misses a few doubles now and again but not that many – happy to get through,” shrugged Anderson.
“I’ve never felt right since I got on the stage tonight and I don’t think he felt right. I was trying to feed off him. It was one of those games.”
Next up for Anderson is debutant Justin Hood who reeled off a record 11 consecutive doubles en route to a stunning 4-0 win over 11th seed Josh Rock.
The 32-year-old only missed his first double when he threw for the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set.
He stepped back to take out the match on a 119 finish in the following leg, guaranteeing a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and taking him closer to his dream of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Hood, playing his first season on the PDC tour, said in his on-stage interview: “It’s not a fairy tale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there.
“The only time I had a bit of nerves was when I was throwing the leg before (the last one). I’m not used to this. I usually get hate messages. This is mad.”
Hood set the tone for the tie when he won the first set with an 11-dart break of throw, leaving 11th seed Rock to watch on with wonder as he stormed to victory, finishing with a 101 average and 10 180s.
Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to fourth in the world after hitting back from a set down to defeat Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson in their last-16 clash.
Krzysztof Ratajski will face Luke Littler in the quarter-finals after pulling away to defeat Luke Woodhouse 4-2.
