Luke Humphries found it impossible to contain his emotions after suffering a heartbreaking loss to Luke Littler at the Premier League darts on Thursday evening.
The clash took place at the AFAS Dome in Antwerp, marking a historic occasion as the competition touched down in Belgium for the very first time.
It was the opening match of week two, and the Belgian crowd got exactly what they came for – pure drama between two of the sport’s biggest names.
The world number two looked to have the contest wrapped up before everything unravelled in spectacular fashion.
Luke Humphries stomped in anger during a torrid defeat to Luke Littler
|SKYSPORTS
Humphries raced into a commanding 4-1 advantage and appeared to be cruising towards victory.
But Littler had other ideas, reeling off three consecutive legs to level things up at 4-4.
The world number two managed to hold his throw and edge ahead 5-4, but the teenage sensation won the tenth leg to force a decider.
Littler surged ahead in that final leg, though he squandered match darts and gave Humphries a lifeline.
It proved a chance too far for Cool Hand, who came agonisingly close on double 20 before narrowly missing double 10 with his follow-up attempt.
The moment Humphries realised his opportunity had slipped away, he let his frustration show in a way fans rarely see.
Luke Humphries raced into a 4-1 lead but ended up crashing out to Luke Littler
|GETTY
As he collected his darts from the board, he stamped his foot firmly on the oche – a genuine flash of anger from a player renowned for keeping his cool under pressure.
It’s the kind of outburst you simply don’t expect from someone nicknamed Cool Hand, who has built his reputation on staying composed when the heat is on.
But Thursday night proved that even the most level-headed competitors can crack when Premier League pressure reaches boiling point.
The defeat leaves Humphries facing an uphill battle in the weeks ahead, while Littler will be delighted to get back to winning ways after a tough start to the campaign.
Last week, the teenage star was comprehensively beaten by World Championship runner-up Gian van Veen, just weeks after the pair met in the Ally Pally final.
There’s been growing talk that Van Veen could emerge as Littler’s main rival going forward.
Luke Littler comes from 4-1 down to beat Luke Humphries! 😮🎯 pic.twitter.com/d7uAFgY69v
— Sky Sports Darts (@SkySportsDarts) February 12, 2026
For now, though, Littler has bounced back in style, and Humphries knows he’ll need to rediscover his best form quickly if he wants to stay in contention.