Michael van Gerwen believes Luke Humphries has been the biggest victim of Luke Littler’s rise to prominence, even though Cool Hand has been more successful at the oche.

It’s been a story of two Lukes for darts this year, with both Humphries and Littler having dominated the sport so far in 2024.

It started when the pair faced off against each other in the World Championship final, with Humphries edging the contest against a then 16-year-old Littler.

Littler took the next major scalp in the rivalry, defeating his now-familiar foe Humphries in the Premier League final earlier this year.

But, such has been the uniqueness of Littler’s story, it has been the teenager who has more often than not dominated headlines and attracted the most interest.

Something Van Gerwen insists has been unfair on world No.1 Humphries.

Speaking exclusively to Express Sport ahead of this week’s World Grand Prix, the Green Machine claimed: “I think the one person who gets penalised the most [from intense media scrutiny], it’s Luke [Humphries].

“You [the media] only talk about Luke Littler and it is Luke Humphries is the one calling the shots at the moment.”

Humphries certainly is calling the shots and Van Gerwen knows more than most what it’s like to be on the end of a schooling from the 29-year-old.

Van Gerwen had the chance to end a more-than-a-year wait for a PDC major title when he faced Humphries in the World Matchplay final over the summer.

Humphries triumphed… with room to spare.

The Dutch darts ace still expects Littler to be there or thereabouts in the remaining tournaments this year, but Van Gerwen has suggested the teenage sensation might continue to dip in and out of form.

On the 2024 World Championship runner-up, Van Gerwen commented: “But he’s young, he’s going to have his downs. That will happen in darts, that will happen to anyone, no matter how good you are.

“Phil Taylor, he was unstoppable, until he didn’t win a tournament for more than a year I think. It was 18 months I think.

“That’s the way darts goes, you’re going to have good periods, bad periods, you have to deal with the circumstances. The question is how he deals with it.”

That’s assuming Van Gerwen doesn’t return to his best form at the oche, with the 35-year-old having previously told Express Sport he isn’t planning on hanging up his arrows anytime soon.

When asked where he plans to be in five years, Van Gerwen replied: “I’ll definitely be there. I’m not going to stop in five years, they’ll need to do really well to keep me off my position and if they want to win as many tournaments [as me] in five years time I can’t see that happening, but you never know.

“Nobody knew there was a kid from Holland coming on the block who made Phil Taylor retire, do you know what I mean? That’s how quickly it can go.”

Early Payout is available on every match at the BoyleSports World Grand Prix, which starts on Monday 7th October at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena.