Luke Humphries is through to the World Grand Prix semi-finals after a nervy 3-1 victory over Jonny Clayton in Leicester, on a night James Wade and Rob Cross were knocked out.
World No 1 Humphries is on course to defend his World Grand Prix title to continue his remarkable last 12 months, which has included triumphs at the Grand Slam of Darts, Players Championship Finals, World Championships, World Cup and World Matchplay.
The 29-year-old will face Ryan Joyce in the last four, after he stunned former world champion Cross 3-2.
There will be an all-Belgian clash in the other semi-final as Mike De Decker beat Wade 3-0 to play Dimitri Van den Bergh, who got the better of Joe Cullen.
De Decker and Van den Bergh will play the first semi-final at 8.30pm on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+, before Humphries faces Joyce.
Nervous Humphries avoids brief Clayton fightback
Despite passing up set darts in the third leg of the opening set, Humphries still managed to claim the set but Clayton broke his opponent at the start of the second and went on to level the match.
Welshman Clayton broke Humphries early in the second set, as the world champion missed a number of shots at double to take the opening leg, with Clayton then holding throw to move to 2-0, levelling the match up in sets when showing nerve to hold again for 3-1.
The Ferret broke Humphries again in the second leg of the third set, but missed two set darts. Humphries punished him with a sensational 146 checkout, which shifted the momentum of the match.
Humphries came back to win the set and won the fourth set on a deciding leg to get over the line.
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Defending champion Luke Humphries defeats Jonny Clayton to progress to the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix Darts.
“That’s probably the most nervous I’ve felt in a long time. It’s hard playing your friends,” Humphries told Sky Sports Darts.
“I felt nervous the whole game and that’s not like me, really not like me. I think there was an opportunity to win again and maybe I tried too hard.
“Jonny was unlucky. He could have won the third set but that 146 changed everything. A really tough game.
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Humphries hit a crucial 146 checkout to save the third set against Clayton in their World Grand Prix quarter-final
“Usually the deeper I go and the more pressure that happens, I feel better and get better. There were just moments in the game, I felt like I was trying too hard. In the second set, I missed four darts to win the first leg.
“I feel really good and my game is in a good place. I won’t take no negatives from a game I’ve won, you can’t be down yourself, and I will go into tomorrow in a confident mood.”
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Humphries said he felt he was ‘trying too hard’ to come through a rough match against Clayton
It looked like Humphries would play Cross but the former world champion threw away a one set lead and a dart to win the second set.
Joyce dominated the third set but a spectacular 110 checkout from Cross sent the quarter-final to a deciding set.
Cross got the decisive break in the third leg to go 2-1 up, then held throw to reach his second televised semi-final.
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Ryan Joyce held his nerve and sealed a 3-2 victory over Rob Cross to reach his first World Grand Prix semi-final
De Decker stuns Wade
De Decker has arguably been playing the best darts of any player this week in Leicester and he produced when it mattered most to see off two-time World Grand Prix champion Wade.
Every set went to a deciding leg but De Decker won them all in a high-quality match.
“If you hit doubles you win. That’s the winning formula! I maybe look relaxed but I’m really nervous but it’s going well and at the right moment I’m doing the right things,” De Decker told Sky Sports Darts.
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Belgium’s De Decker says his secret is hitting the doubles
“I’m happy, everything is going well and onto the next round. Me and Dimitri are good friends, so if I don’t win [the tournament] I hope he does.”
UK Open champion Van den Bergh was far from his best but came back from a set down against Cullen and found some form as the match went on to show why he loves the big stage.
Both Belgians will be playing in the semi-finals of the World Grand Prix for the first time on Saturday.
Watch the World Grand Prix semi-finals in Leicester on Saturday at 8.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+. Stream the darts and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime
