Luke Humphries ready for ‘two different tournaments’ after 16-minute blitz kicks off title defence
Share:
The world champion is delighted with his form since lifting the title in January and could now meet five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld next. Luke Humphries made a winning return to the scene of his greatest moment as he began the defence of his World Championship title in style.
![[Luke Humphries during his second round match against Thibault Tricole]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/15/23/247f3bc9-c6f2-4ce8-a648-5bdeea88ebce.jpg)
Humphries was back on the Alexandra Palace stage almost one year on from his memorable win against Luke Littler in the 2024 final and made light work of Frenchman Thibault Tricole. Tricole, who had earlier raised the curtain on the 2025 tournament with a first-round win over Joe Comito, was dispatched 3-0 in less than 16 minutes.
![[Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands celebrates winning]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/15/23/11779894.jpg)
The world number one won nine consecutive legs to whitewash Tricole and ensured he came back after Christmas, where he could meet five-time world champion Raymond van Barneveld in the third round. "It was nowhere near my best, but it is two different tournaments, all that matters is to win tonight," he said.
"If I'd have averaged 105 and lost it would have meant nothing. Now I can go into the second part of the tournament after Christmas. "I am incredibly proud of the last 12 months, for me it has been one of the better years for a world champion since Michael van Gerwen won it.
"Even if I don't win again I will be proud of the year I have, but it would be a beautiful way to top it off if I could become back-to-back world champion. But I have five games to get through.". Jermaine Wattimena set up a second-round clash with James Wade on Monday after a bruising 3-0 win over Stefan Bellmont.
