Luke Humphries is riding the crest of a wave after adding the World Matchplay to his ever-growing trophy collection.
The world number one has won six out of the last nine majors and reached another two finals.
He tops the PDC’s form guide as the only player averaging above a ton over the last 200 legs and is undoubtedly the best player in the world despite the heroics of his namesake Luke Littler.
The World Champion made an announcement yesterday that he hopes will ensure his dominance in the sport’s top events continues.
Luke Humphries announces Red Dragon contract extension
Humphries’ success has come with darts manufacturer Red Dragon in his corner.
The pair have now announced an extension of their fruitful partnership as revealed by Humphries on his Instagram.
He said: “Proud to have signed a new long-term deal with Red Dragon Darts. Looking forward to continuing this great partnership.”
This will be a relief for fans of the Newbury man as he heads into the business end of the year with a catalogue of trophies to defend.
Contract extension a smart move for both parties
Clearly for Red Dragon, having the World Champion in your stable is a valuable asset.
For Humphries though, this could ensure his position as the top dog in darts.
World Cup of Darts teammate Michael Smith switched to Shot Darts last summer after a decade with Unicorn.
The change in equipment coincided with a dip in form and the ‘Bully Boy’ had to wait 12 months before tasting success again.
Three-time World Champion Michael van Gerwen also had difficulties adjusting to his new darts following his move to Winmau in 2020.
Darts is largely a mental game.
On top of the physical characteristics of a tungsten missile, players develop a connection with the equipment that has captured them a plethora of trophies.
This partnership allows Humphries to continue with the exact same set-up which he will hope will produce the same results as the year gone by.