HUMPHRIES EYEING WORLD NO1 PUSH AFTER LITTLER RIVALRY REIGNITED

LUKE HUMPHRIES has revealed he is eyeing a future push for the world No1 spot.

The world No2 has been in excellent touch this season, leading the way for 100+ averages and reaching nine consecutive finals during a sustained run of consistency.

Humphries, 31, insists his focus remains on performance and big-stage results rather than rankings.

But the Cheshire thrower admits he would like to move to the top of the Order of Merit in the future after losing it to Luke Littler on 17 November 2025.

He said: “You can only really go on stats and the yearly average. The amount of finals we are in.

“In two, three or four months I could be world no.3 and I wouldn't sit there and feel like I was the third best player in the world, I'd still think I was the second.

“The rankings sometimes don't tell the tale. I think last year at a certain point I was still number one in the world but I didn't really necessarily think that was the real ranking.

“I probably wasn’t the best player in the world at the time. That is not something I worry about too much. It is more about who is actually fighting it out for the big major tournaments and being in consistent finals.

“Like I am and Luke is. The rankings really don’t tell the tale sometimes.

“All I got to do is keep fighting, keep working hard and hopefully I can retain that world no.2 spot and push Luke [Littler] maybe next year for that world no.1 spot.”

Cool Hand currently trails Littler by a hefty £1.731m in the Order of Merit, meaning it could take some catching as the teenager targets a clean sweep of major titles this season.

However, Humphries has already shown he can stop him, edging their most recent meeting 8-7 in the final of the US Masters.

Humphries is also the only man to beat Littler in a televised ranking final, having defeated him in both the World Championship and Players Championship Finals back in 2024.

Words: Aaron Nijjar

Image: Taylor Lanning