Luke Humphries revealed he lost over a stone due to food poisoning but still stormed to his fourth Players Championship title of 2026 with an 8-4 victory over Niels Zonneveld as Dutch legend Raymond van Barneveld took a huge step towards world championship qualification. Humphries has now prevailed in three of his four Players Championship appearances in Leicester this season, marking the perfect preparation for the upcoming Grand Slam of Darts admitted he was forced him to pull out of the European Championship last month and then struggling with huge weight loss and a lack of practice. It was also a terrific day for Van Barneveld, who took a huge step towards world championship qualification with a run to his second ProTour quarter-final of 2026, while Gary Anderson moved him into the provisional Players Championship Finals field with a run to the last four.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player "It was more about coming back and seeing what my energy levels are like because I've obviously been very ill for the last two weeks," admitted Humphries. "I've had food poisoning and I've not really moved about a lot for three and a half weeks. Well I did when I went on the scales after eight or nine days.
I weighed myself and I'd lost 15 pounds. "I'd never miss a major if I could. I think that's the first one I've ever missed.
I was devastated to miss the European Championship because I was on a good run after winning the Grand Prix. "I didn't win the Swiss trophy but I played really good. So I thought to myself I feel like I'm a little bit back here and I can maybe go on and do something great this year and that's a backward step when you have to miss a tournament.
"I didn't practice for two weeks. I had a few throws the last four days. It re-evaluates that confidence again that makes you think you carried on from where you left off.
"To come here and win it takes you back a little bit. So obviously I know the game's there to win these things. But the way I've been the last few weeks it's an unexpected win for myself.
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