Mike De Decker insists he will relish the underdog tag when he takes on reigning champion Luke Humphries in tonight’s BoyleSports World Grand Prix final.
De Decker has enjoyed a breakthrough week in Leicester, defeating Damon Heta, Gary Anderson, James Wade and Dimitri Van den Bergh to progress to a maiden televised final.
Having survived match darts in his opening round victory against Heta, De Decker continued his charge with successive 3-0 victories against the experienced duo of Anderson and Wade.
The 28-year-old then ran out a convincing 5-2 winner against his compatriot Van den Bergh on Saturday evening, landing nine 180s and converting two ton-plus checkouts in the process.
De Decker is now aiming to emulate his fellow countryman as he bids to become the second Belgian player to lift a major televised PDC title.
“It would be unbelievable,” insisted De Decker – featuring in just his second World Grand Prix.
“Dimitri is the only Belgian player that has won a major [PDC] title before, so to maybe become the second would mean the world.
“My only target was to win my first game. I lost in the first round against Joe Cullen last year, so I didn’t want to repeat that.
“When I won my first game against Damon Heta I was already over the moon, and now I’m in the final!”
De Decker was imperious in dispatching Anderson and two-time champion Wade, although he made a subdued start against Van den Bergh, relinquishing the opening set without reply.
Nevertheless, the man nicknamed ‘The Real Deal’ lived up to that moniker for the remainder of the contest, winning five of the last six sets to break new ground at the Mattioli Arena.
“At the beginning of the game I was really, really nervous,” admitted De Decker, the first player from his homeland to progress to a World Grand Prix final.
“I always find it difficult playing Dimitri, but tonight I think he found it difficult also.
“There was so much attention on this game in Belgium, but when I took the second set, I started to relax.
“It was the first time I had so much support in England. It means a lot, and I’m over the moon to be in the final.”
De Decker has conceded just three sets in four matches so far this week, although he faces a huge task against Humphries, who is eyeing back-to-back titles in the double-start event.
The world number one also survived a match dart in his first round victory against Stephen Bunting, before battling past Ricardo Pietreczko and Jonny Clayton in hard-fought encounters.
However, Humphries produced a sparkling display to demolish Ryan Joyce in Saturday’s semi-finals, firing in eight 180s and conjuring up four ton-plus checkouts to triumph in five straight sets.
Humphries’ 100.3 average was also the second highest average recorded in a World Grand Prix semi-final, illustrating the task De Decker faces to dethrone the sport’s premier player.
“Luke is the massive favourite,” conceded the Belgian number two, who has broken into the world’s top 32 for the first time this week.
“Luke has been playing phenomenal darts for the last 18 months, but I’m really looking forward to it.
“Everyone will expect Luke to win so the pressure will be off me, and I’m sure it will be a fun game to watch.”
The BoyleSports World Grand Prix is being broadcast live on Sky Sports in the UK, through the PDC's worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay, and on PDCTV (excluding subscribers based in the UK, Germany, Austria & Switzerland).
Click here for information on where to watch the 2024 BoyleSports World Grand Prix.
2024 BoyleSports World Grand Prix
Sunday October 13 (2000 BST)
Final
Luke Humphries v Mike De Decker
Format
Final - Best of 11 Sets
All Sets are the best of five Legs, with all Legs needing to both begin and end with a double.