Lim met Englishman Humphries within the first spherical of the 2021 World Championship and, on that event, Lim was a 3-2 winner.

The percentages of a repeat are unlikely, given Humphries – who’s 41 years youthful than Lim – has gone on to have a spell of almost two years as world primary and received a number of main titles, together with the world crown in January 2024.

“If something, I am grateful for Paul successful that recreation as a result of it modified me as a participant and it modified me as an individual,” Humphries stated after beating Ted Evetts in spherical one.

“Three months later, I would misplaced about 4 stones and I used to be in a significant closing [at the 2021 UK Open]. It helped my profession.”

On these feedback, Lim stated: “To return throughout a champion who’s as humble as him – when he stated that, it was actually a praise to me. I’ve received nothing ever dangerous to say about Luke.

“With each defeat or each win, there’s a spark someplace – you have to discover it to spark you in the appropriate path. I am unable to say that loss made him a world champion, however possibly it created that spark inside himself to have a look at one thing otherwise and it turned out effectively for him.

“He’s undoubtedly a distinct Luke Humphries. He was good then, now he’s nice. It is an honour to listen to him calling me a legend.”