HUMPHRIES ADMITS RANKING SYSTEM IS HARSH

LUKE HUMPHRIES admits the ranking system is “harsh” after the World Championship winner’s prize money was doubled to a staggering £1million.

World No. 1 Humphries could scoop every major before Ally Pally yet still surrender top spot if he fails to win the Sid Waddell Trophy. 

‘Cool Hand’ has already claimed the World Masters, Premier League, US Masters and Czech Open this year.

But the 30-year-old believes it could all count for nothing if he slips up in North London as he bids to retain his spot at the summit of the sport. 

He explained: “I think that World Championships is quite critical for a lot of players, because look, if Luke [Littler] don’t win it and I don’t win it, and say, Stephen Bunting wins, he’ll be number one.  

“It’s not a foregone conclusion that me or Luke [Littler] will be at number one after the World Championships, so that’s exciting.

“It’s kind of harsh because, you know, I could go and win every major that’s left on the calendar, but if I don’t win the Worlds, I could still not be number one, and that’d be quite harsh.  

“But yeah, it’s a great opportunity for me to try and relinquish it back. I’m not saying it’s over.

“I could still win a few majors and stay number one before the Worlds.” 

Cheshire ace Humphries acknowledges Littler is currently the better player on the oche but says he’s proud to have held onto the world No.1 spot for the past 16 months. 

He added: “Sometimes the better player is not always the world number one, and I feel like a lot of people don’t really understand that the rankings are not done on form.

“They’re done on a two-year period. When I look back, I think I’ve won quite a few major tournaments.  

“I might not be the best player. That’s not me being down on myself. I’m just being honest. 

“I think you just only need to look at the stats and that will tell you the truth anyway.  

“But yeah, I might not be the best player, but to have stayed at number one for such a long period of time, especially with him right below me, it’s been quite a privilege for myself and it’s not over yet.” 

Humphries confessed that the high of completing his dream major set left him guilty of easing off the practice board earlier this year. 

Eight-times major winner Humphries had a slight dip in form after crashing out of the World Cup and Matchplay at the first hurdle in July. 

He revealed: “I think it is one of the things when you… kind of feel like you achieved everything you could ever dream of.

“You know, there is no major tournament now left on the calendar that I would go if I ended my career, damn, you know, I didn’t win that one. That really hurts.

“The Premier League was the one that was left for me snd yeah, you can feel a little bit like, where’s next? You know, what’s to do?

“I think I’m a bit guilty of not practicing very much after that Premier League.  

“Not that I thought I was at a level that I didn’t need to practice anymore, but I feel like, you know, you’re kind of a bit overwhelmed by it all. And you think, oh, I’m playing well.

“You know, you don’t need to put the effort in as much. When I said that in an interview in Australia, I felt guilty for that.  

“As soon as I come back off my holiday with my family in August, you know, I straightened the ball because in my mind, I’m thinking I want to start playing better.

“I think it did work in Prague, to be fair. The first game wasn’t really good. It was tough up there because it was hot conditions.

“But after that, I thought I played all right. But I got to work myself back into it now and I feel like I’m practicing a bit more.” 

Humphries returns to action on Friday and will face James Wade in round one of the World Series Finals at Amsterdam. 

He said: “Friday’s another tough, tough task.

“You know, I beat James [Wade] on Sunday, but he’s playing really well.  

“So, you know, he’s going to be a tough test for me and I’d love to put a good show on at the weekend.”

Image by Taylor Lanning.