HUMPHRIES HITS OUT AT WRIGHT TRASH TALK

By Phil Lanning

LUKE HUMPHRIES has vowed he won’t get sucked into Peter Wright’s TRASH TALK.

The defending world champ hit back at Snakebite after he stated that ‘Cool Hand’ would be smashed out of the tournament. 

After his opening World Championship win, Wright claimed that Humphries would go out to Raymond van Barneveld and that he doesn’t fear the World No.1 or Luke Littler. 

Hump, 29, now takes on the Scot in a tasty last 16 clash at the Ally Pally tonight (Sunday).

But he said: “I think he said something like Barney is going to smash me and Peter is going to smash Jermaine (Wattimena). Well, he got his end of the bargain.

“But it’s just, I think Peter loves to play the mind games, but it don’t work with me.

“I’m one world title away from almost matching his career and I’m about 25 years younger.

“I think one world title would sort of match everything he’s ever achieved in the game.

“I don’t look into it too much. I think he’s trying to play the mind games but, unfortunately for him, it don’t work for me and it probably won’t work for Luke because he said he don’t fear us, but if I don’t fear someone, I don’t keep mentioning them all the time.

“I’m probably not surprised. Peter has done it many, many times over the years.

“All I’m saying is it doesn’t work on people like me. I am the world champion, the world No1.

“I haven’t got there over people having a little dig here and there, but it just gets me up for the game a little bit more, to be honest.

“He doesn’t mean it in a horrible way and he’s not, he’s a master of the mind games and it won’t work on me, “I mean, I know I’m talking about it now, so of course it makes it look like I am.

“But I just want to make him think a little bit about what I’ve said back there.”

Humphries has breezed through his two opening matches without dropping set to either Thibault Tricole or Nick Kenny. 

But his clash with Wright has an extra edge to it after his words in the press conference following the win over Kenny. 

Hump even suggested that Snakebite’s wasn’t as bad as it seemed. 

He added: “He is a dangerous player. I felt like he was okay in the practice room. 

“I mean, maybe he was a lot iller than he showed, but I didn’t really see any signs that he was that ill as he said he was.

“He actually played probably one of the better games he’s played for a long, long time.

“But he’s had a lot to say over the last couple of weeks where he says that he doesn’t fear me and Luke Littler. He says he’s going to smash us.

“So, yeah, I mean, all the pressure’s on him now because if he doesn’t, then the eggs on his face, not mine.

“I’m really, really relaxed and, if he doesn’t beat us, then it’s going to look silly on him, not me.

“I’m only having a laugh. I’m only messing. But I mean, I think some players, they just love to have a little, they love to get in your mind a little bit, love to make you think like I’m doing right now.

“He’s probably going to see this interview and he’s probably going to see a headline. He’s going to think: I’ve gotten his head. But he hasn’t.

“I’m just saying that he has to smash me now because he said that was what was going to happen.

“And, if he beats me, then he’s going to have to smash Luke Littler because that’s what he said he was going to do.

“I’m just saying that it never works out well for people that say what they’re going to do and how they’re going to do it.

“Peter said he was going to win a major this year and he wasn’t going to tell anybody what major it was going to be.

“Well, it has to be this one. Otherwise, he’s going to look silly again. So all the banter aside, I’m really looking forward to playing with the top guy.

“He’s a two-time World Champion. He’s got massive experience and I respect him a lot. I’m really, really pleased for him the way he played tonight.

“He hasn’t been well, but I’m hoping that I can pounce on that and really, really perform in the way I know I can.”

Images by Taylor Lanning.