Luke Humphries is through to the sixth round of the UK Open. (Image: Getty.)
admitted that he “didn’t want to” whitewash his best friend in Ryan Searle after humiliating his opponent in the fifth round of the UK Open. The world No. 1 was in supreme form with an average of 100.20 and a checkout success of 52.60 (10 from 19). Afterwards he informed that he regretted not losing a single leg and bemoaned a “bad day” for Searle.
“I did not expect that scoreline to be honest,” he said. “I thought it would be similar to yesterday, like 10-7. His finishing just wasn’t there. To beat Ryan Searle 10-0 is a ridiculous scoreline. That was just a bad day at the office from him. I thought I played well. But as the game went on the more legs I was winning, it was a struggle because I didn’t want to beat him 10-0 to be honest.
“He’s my best mate in darts, it kind of crushes you inside, you don’t want to smash someone who is so close to you. Of course when you are in this game you have to be ruthless. You can’t give anybody anything. Even if he is your best mate.
“It’s not the most enjoyable 10-0 win I’ve had in my career. Ryan is capable of winning tournaments like this. I mean that, I know him. I know how good he is. Today his finishing under pressure wasn’t there.”
Humphries has previously said that if he could pick any player to win the other than himself, it would be Searle, underlining their friendship which undoubtedly would be tested after Saturday’s whitewash.
Ryan Searle was on the wrong end of a 10-0 defeat. (Image: Getty)
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“If I could choose, I would say Ryan Searle because he’s one of my best friends in darts,” he told the podcast. “For the sport, it would be good if won. It’s going to kick off and make it even bigger. I think apart from me winning it, I’d like to see Ryan win it.”
The 2024 world champion has proven to be a stellar ambassador for the sport throughout the tournament, having made sure that his previous opponent in Minehead after their thrilling match.
Humphries came from 7-5 down to defeat the female world No. 1 and first woman to ever reach the fourth round of the UK Open, before lifting her arm aloft and alongside the likes of himself, Littler and .
And Humphries has since been rewarded with a last-16 tie against Ryan Joyce, after the two-time ranking title winner’s 10-3 victory over American star Danny Lauby.
Littler, meanwhile, will face Krzysztof Ratajski and world championship runner-up Van Gerwen bowed out of the competition to Welshman Robert Owen in the fifth round.