World Darts Championship: Luke Humphries backs himself or Luke Littler to win at Alexandra Palace

Luke Humphries believes a "Luke” will win this year’s World Darts Championship as the two tournament favourites prepare for the third round.

Humphries and Luke Littler both came through their opening matches before Christmas and are on course to meet each other in the semi-finals.

World No 1 Humphries plays Wales' Nick Kenny in the last 32 on Friday, December 27, when the action resumes at Alexandra Palace after a break for Christmas.

• Follow live updates and watch best video from World Darts Championship
• World Darts Championship: Full schedule
• Stream the World Darts Championship and more with NOW
• All you need to know about the World Darts Championship

"A Luke will win it and I think it will be me! I would be silly not to!" Humphries told Sky Sports. "I do believe I can win again. It will be tough, but I know I have the capability to win it and I think every player will believe that.

"I know I have a tough run and it will be hard, but you have to believe yourself."

Humphries and Littler pushing each other on

Humphries and Littler have taken the sport to new heights since they met at last year's World Championship final, with one of them featuring in every major TV final since March.

The pair have met 14 times, with the 17-year-old leading the head-to-head 8-6.

But Humphries has won their last three matches, including the Players Championship Finals final in November.

"He [Littler] has got such a high level that, for me, if I just accept the level I'm at now, he will probably go on and get a little bit better over his career," said Humphries.

"If I don't get a little bit better in my career then I won't be able to match him. If he wasn't around, I feel like I would sort of be happy with how I am.

"But now I know he's going at a higher level. I know that I've got to go to a higher level and that drives me forward. That makes me want to be better and stronger as a player."

Littler's incredible rise as a teenager has been huge for darts, with new fans watching the sport regularly.

"For both of us, we are kind of going up at the same time," he said. "Hopefully one of us don't break away because I kind of like the excitement of you don't really know who's going to win out of us at the moment, and that makes the sport exciting."

Littler: I am in for a relaxed Christmas!

Littler was a picture of emotions after picking up his win against Ryan Meikle, the Suffolk man pushing the 17-year old all the way.

In the final set, Littler's brilliance emerged again as he found two 10-dart legs and an 11-dart leg to seal the second-round win and now all of his focus is on having a "relaxed Christmas" before turning all his attention to his next opponent Ian White in the third round, their match headlining the evening session on Saturday, December 28.

"Now obviously I am the favourite but I've just got to look on that first game. Plenty of players have said it," Littler said after his win over Meikle.

"If you're seed, non-seed, you've just won that first game.

"I said it last year, win that first game and you're coming back after Christmas. So I think it's going to be the most relaxed Christmas I'm going to have.

"I'll never say I'm going to win the World Championships. I know nearly every player, they've got it in them to do it, but I'll never come here after a game - especially like that - and say, 'I'm just going to beat everyone'. You've just got to focus on the next game."

Don't forget about the third Luke

While all the attention is on Littler and Humphries, there is a third Luke in the tournament, Luke Woodhouse.

Woodhouse reached the third round at the World Championship for just the second time in his career after stunning Mike De Decker last week.

The 36-year-old will play ninth-seeded Australian Damon Heta in the very first match back at the Ally Pally after Christmas, kicking off the afternoon session on Friday.

"To be in the last 32 is unbelievable," said Woodhouse.

"It's a massive achievement and if I can come here and put a full performance together, I have definitely got the potential to go far.

"Damon is a fantastic player who has proven himself over the last three to four years but why can't I have a run?"

Watch the World Darts Championship on Sky Sports

The 2025 PDC World Darts Championship continues with a double session on December 27, with six third-round matches across two sessions, with the fourth round getting under way the following day.

The live coverage continues until December 30 before the quarter finals take place - across two sessions - on New Year's Day, ahead of the semi-finals on January 2 and the final on January 3.

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch every match exclusively live on Sky Sports' dedicated darts channel. Stream darts and more top sport with NOW.

(c) Sky Sports 2024: World Darts Championship: Luke Humphries backs himself or Luke Littler to win at Alexandra Palace