Luke Humphries misplaced within the first spherical of the penultimate Gamers Championship occasion in Wigan to go away his qualification for November’s finals nonetheless unconfirmed heading into Thursday’s last day, as Chris Dobey claimed his third title of the 12 months.
Three days after dropping within the last of the European Championship to Gian van Veen in Dortmund, Humphries was crushed 6-5 by Adam Warner within the first spherical on the primary of two consecutive days on the Robin Park Leisure Centre the place the ultimate two Gamers Championship occasions are being held earlier than the Minehead finals on November 21-23 for the highest 64 gamers on the season-long rankings.
Two-time defending champion Humphries, who was making his thirteenth look on this 12 months’s 33 Gamers Championship occasions so far, is presently in 58th place and £1,000 above the provisional qualification cut-off.
Humphries will now be aiming for an extended run in Gamers Championship 34 to utterly safe his place in Minehead, whereas world champion Luke Littler – who has already certified for the finals – is ready to return on Thursday after lacking the 11am registration deadline for the primary Wigan occasion occasion resulting from visitors.
Wednesday’s play noticed two 9 darters.
The primary got here from Damon Heta in his first-round match towards George Killington earlier than Nathan Aspinall adopted up his double in the identical match at Gamers Championship 31 earlier this month with one other towards Ian White.
‘Now I need to begin successful TV titles’ – Dobey desires extra after Grand Slam spot confirmed
In Wednesday’s last, Dobey edged out William O’Connor 8-6 in a high-quality last with the triumph securing the world No 11 his place within the Grand Slam of Darts, which is stay on Sky Sports activities from November 8.
Dobey, who averaged 102.19 throughout his seven matches, mentioned: “I’m buzzing because the Grand Slam is a big tournament. I’ve missed out in two of the last three years, so it’s good to be back.
“I am pleased with my recreation, I am constantly enjoying properly and choosing up titles on the ProTour, and that is what I needed a number of years in the past.
“Now I want to start winning TV titles. I cannot keep playing well on TV and not get anything for it, so I’m just going to dig in and keep believing.
“I need to be again with the highest gamers on this planet, enjoying them week in week out, and if I hold producing darts like this, I should not be too distant.”
After comprehensively beating Greg Ritchie (6-1) Rob Owen (6-2), Jeffrey de Graaf (6-2) and Heta (6-3) to reach the last eight, Dobey next averaged 111.29 to thrash Aspinall 6-2 before delivering another big win, 7-2, over Wessel Nijman in the semi-finals.
The final against O’Connor proved a far tighter affair, though, with a 151 checkout in the 11th leg giving the Irishman a 6-5 lead as he chased his first Players Championship title since 2019.
But Dobey responded immediately with a 12-dart leg to level the match up, before going on to take the next two legs for the eighth Players Championship title of his career.
O’Connor had beaten Thibault Tricole 6-3 in the quarter-finals before claiming a 7-2 victory over Ryan Joyce.
Players Championship 33 – results from final rounds
Last 16
Ryan Joyce 6-5 Richard Veenstra
Cam Crabtree 6-2 Cameron Menzies
William O’Connor 6-5 Chris Landman
Thibault Tricole 6-4 Peter Wright
Gerwyn Price 6-1 Matt Campbell
Wessel Nijman 6-2 Ricky Evans
Nathan Aspinall 6-3 Luke Woodhouse
Chris Dobey 6-3 Damon Heta
Quarter-Finals
Ryan Joyce 6-1 Cam Crabtree
William O’Connor 6-3 Thibault Tricole
Wessel Nijman 6-0 Gerwyn Price
Chris Dobey 6-2 Nathan Aspinall
Semi-Finals
William O’Connor 7-2 Ryan Joyce
Chris Dobey 7-2 Wessel Nijman
Final
Chris Dobey 8-6 William O’Connor
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