Beau Greaves, the three-time Women’s World Matchplay champion and the first woman to compete in a European Tour event, didn’t just show up for her debut at the Hungarian Darts Trophy in Budapest. She absolutely brought the thunder, averaging a ridiculous 104.88 and hitting five 180s in a performance that had everyone talking. This was a dream debut in the making, and it took a certified veteran to stop her from writing history right there on the MVM Dome stage.
Cross Blocks History With a Vicious Checkout
It was Rob Cross who ultimately denied Greaves in what’s being called an incredible opening round tie. Cross had to pull out all the stops, averaging 101.90 himself and producing a sensational 170 checkout to snatch the win in a dramatic deciding leg. Talk about high stakes! After the match, Cross was full of praise for his opponent, saying, “Beau is brilliant. She is going places. She has been phenomenal on the ProTour, and I think when she learns her trade on the big stage, she’s going to do more.” He’s not wrong, that average alone tells you she’s a force. Cross clearly felt the pressure, adding, “I feel really happy with my set-up at the minute. I think I can do great things, but it’s down to me to prove it.” Cross now faces Luke Woodhouse, so he needs to keep that fire going.
Springer Kicks Off Title Defense, Others Impress
While Greaves was making headlines, reigning champion Niko Springer also looked sharp, enjoying a winning return in Budapest. He dispatched Maik Kuivenhoven 6-1, making it look easy on Friday’s opening day as he started his challenge for back-to-back titles. Springer was all smiles, revealing, “I have so many good memories coming back here. I had a big smile because I was so happy to be here again, and I cannot wait to play tomorrow!” He’s set to clash with Ryan Searle for a spot in the last 16. Other big names like Joe Cullen and Dave Chisnall also secured opening round wins, with Cullen averaging almost 98 in his 6-3 victory over Adam Leek, and Chisnall hitting checkouts of 101, 120, and 136 in his 6-3 win against Andras Borbely. Chisnall will next battle Wessel Nijman. Krzysztof Ratajski survived two match darts to beat Callan Rydz 6-5, setting up a meeting with Gary Anderson.
The Host Nation qualifiers didn’t disappoint either! Laszlo Kadar claimed the scalp of Daryl Gurney on his European Tour debut, averaging over 93 and setting up a tie with fourth seed Jonny Clayton. Nandor Major conjured a terrific 124 checkout on the bull to stun Niels Zonneveld in a decider, earning him a match against Dutch number one Gian van Veen. Get ready for some more fireworks tomorrow!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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