JUST LET HER PLAY

Humphries' support for transgender star Noa-Lynn Van Leuven.

- MIKE WALTERS

LUKE HUMPHRIES says Noa-Lynn van Leuven will relish her baptism at the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts and pleaded: "Just let her get on with it and play." Nineteen years after Deta Hedman became the first woman to beat a male opponent on TV, Van Leuven breaks a new glass ceiling as the first transgender competitor to take on the men in a darts major at Wolverhampton.

In an all-Dutch contest at VW Active Aldersley tonight, Van Leuven faces three-times world champion Michael van Gerwen in a group also containing Gary Anderson and Ryan Joyce.

And world No.1 Humphries warned she is not to be taken lightly at a 32-player tournament worth £150,000 to the winner.