Beau Greaves clinched her third Women’s World Matchplay title in four years, coming through a thrilling last-leg decider against Fallon Sherrock that was an absolute nail-biter. The top seed wasn’t playing her A-game, but she absolutely held her nerve when it mattered most, securing a 6-5 win at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
The Final Showdown Was A Total Barn Burner
Man, if you weren’t on the edge of your seat for that final leg, you weren’t watching! Greaves had herself a nice 5-3 lead, and honestly, we all thought she had it locked up. But Sherrock, who is just relentless, wasn’t letting up. She came roaring back to push it to a decider, even hitting a 180 to put immense pressure on Greaves. Our 22-year-old champion stared down that challenge, though. She hit a maximum of her own, a massive statement, and then followed it up with a 145 set-up that had everyone buzzing. Taking out the 56 to seal the win? That’s championship material right there.
A Champion’s Road To Glory Continues
Greaves told Sky Sports she isn’t one to celebrate, but that the relief after hitting that last dart was just an outpouring. You could feel it watching her. “I was nervous,” she admitted, adding that kind of pressure is a privilege because it means she’s doing well and playing well. She might not have thought she played her absolute best, but just getting that win over the line is a massive thing. She breezed through her quarter-final 5-1 against Kirsi Viinikainen, but then had a scare in the semis, going to a deciding leg against Gemma Hayter before pulling off a clutch 104 checkout. Sherrock, on the other hand, had a ridiculously easy path to the final, dropping only one leg total and taking out defending champion Lisa Ashton 5-1 in her semi. But for the third year running, the title slipped through Sherrock’s fingers.
This win is huge for three-time women’s world champion Greaves. She became the first woman to win a PDC ranking title back in April when she beat Michael Smith, and the first woman to hit a nine-dart finish on the PDC ProTour in February. Greaves noted that playing women is a little different for her now as she tries to concentrate on the men’s game, but acknowledged that coming back to this tournament is tough. After last year’s disappointment, getting this win is “so good for my game going forward.” You can bet the rest of the darts world is now watching what she does next!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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