Luke Humphries battles through as World Matchplay Day 3 heats up

Luke Humphries edged into the second round of the 2026 World Matchplay on 21 July with a nervy first-round win in Blackpool.

What happened on Day 3?

Four more seeds fell on Monday evening as the 2026 World Matchplay rolled on. Humphries, Gerwyn Price and Danny Noppert all took to the stage in the evening session at the Winter Gardens. Humphries needed all 19 legs to see off his qualifier, but held his nerve to progress 10-8.

The night belonged to the top seeds who avoided early exits. Price and Noppert both won in straight sets, while Luke Littler and Michael van Gerwen waited until Tuesday for their first matches. The second-round draw was reshaped by the results, with several big names now facing tougher tests.

Why Humphries’ win matters

A slow start left Humphries staring down the barrel of a first-round exit. Trailing 3-6 at one point, he clawed back level before pulling away late. The win keeps his title defence alive and sets up a potential clash with Littler in the next round.

Humphries’ 98.7 checkout average under pressure showed why he’s the man to beat. Even when his finishing looked shaky, his defence held firm. The win also keeps him clear of the early upsets that have claimed six seeds already this week.

The bracket after Day 3

The second-round draw now features eight fresh matchups on Wednesday. Price faces Chris Dobey, while Noppert meets Damon Heta. Humphries could draw either Mensur Suljovic or Ricardo Pietreczko if he wins his next match.

The tournament’s biggest casualty so far is Dimitri Van den Bergh, who crashed out 8-10 to qualifier Scott Williams. Van Gerwen and Littler still have their first matches to come, but the seeds are feeling the heat.

What’s next for Humphries?

A day off awaits before Humphries returns on Wednesday for his second-round clash. The draw keeps him away from the top four seeds until at least the quarter-finals, but the route keeps getting tougher.

His next opponent will come from the Suljovic/Pietreczko winner. Either way, Humphries will need to tighten his checkout game after a sluggish 38% on doubles against his Day 3 rival. The World Matchplay’s brutal format waits for no one: and neither does the world No 1.