'Dangerous' Humphries ready to defend world title

Luke Humphries will play in the last match of Sunday's first session, which starts at 19:00 GMT

Defending champion Luke Humphries insists he will be "dangerous" despite starting the PDC World Championship as bookmakers' second favourite behind Luke Littler.

Humphries, who begins his campaign on Sunday's opening night, beat teenage prodigy Littler in January's final to lift the title.

But he says winning the championship for a second successive year would mean even more to him.

"I think it would be more special. When you win it the first time, it's great but when you prove yourself and do it back to back, I think that would be an emotional one. I want to know how it feel," said the 29-year-old Englishman.

"It's been the most amazing year but it's a year you want to go and do again. The want for me to be world champion every year is going to be increased. I'm going to be dangerous at the worlds this year."

Humphries will face either Thibault Tricole or Joe Comito - who meet earlier on Sunday - in the second round at Alexandra Palace in London.

The 32nd staging of the tournament will feature 96 players from around the globe competing for a first prize of £500,000.

'It would be quite a challenge'

Tricole, the first Frenchman to play in the tournament last year when he lost in the second round to 2018 champion Rob Cross, admitted facing Humphries would be a tough prospect.

"He is the reigning world champion, world number one and last winner of a PDC tournament - the Players Championship Finals. There's no one fitter than him," he told BBC Sport.

"So it would be quite a challenge for me. If I manage to play him, I'd love to give it my all and make him doubt me. But maybe he wouldn't be at his best. It's hard to believe that I could beat him even if I played him, but I'd do everything I could to do so."

While the rise to stardom of 17-year-old Littler - who has won 10 titles in his debut season as a professional - has been credited with helping a surge in darts' popularity, Humphries has been pleased with his own year as world number one.

"It's been amazing, it's been very tiring. I've enjoyed it, I think I've done myself justice," he said.

"I've been in six major finals, won the World Cup [with England], the World Matchplay and retained the Players Championship Finals - I can't say it's not been a success. I'm quite proud of the way I've handled myself."

When do the top seeds play?

Littler beat Humphries to win the Premier League title in May

Sunday 15 December: Luke Humphries as top seed will be the last match of the evening session, which starts at 19:00 GMT.

Thursday 19 December: English second seed Michael Smith will play the winner of Tuesday's all-Dutch encounter between Kevin Doets and Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who is the first transgender player in the competition after winning one of two Women's Series qualifying spots alongside Fallon Sherrock.

Friday 20 December: Michael van Gerwen begins his bid for a fourth world title. The Dutch third seed will face James Hurrell or Jim Long after their match on Tuesday.

Saturday 21 December: Luke Littler returns to the Ally Pally as number four in the world having been ranked 164 going into last year's tournament. He faces Sherrock or Ryan Meikle, who meet on Tuesday. Sherrock was the first woman to win matches at the world championship five years ago.

Sunday's schedule

There will be live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app.

First round (from 19:00 GMT)

Thibault Tricole v Joe Comito

Jermaine Wattimena v Stefan Bellmont

Kim Huybrechts v Keane Barry

Second round

Luke Humphries v Tricole/Comito