Beau Greaves has once again etched her name into the darts history books, securing her third Women's World Matchplay title following a nail-biting last-leg decider against rival Fallon Sherrock. The top seed, aged 22, clinched a 6-5 victory at Blackpool's iconic Winter Gardens, demonstrating remarkable composure under immense pressure despite admitting she wasn't at her absolute best.
The Doncaster-born star, who was the clear favourite heading into the tournament, saw a commanding 5-3 lead evaporate as Sherrock fought back valiantly to force a deciding leg. The tension escalated when Sherrock opened the final leg with a maximum 180, putting Greaves under significant pressure. However, Greaves responded with a 180 of her own, followed by a crucial 145 set-up shot before expertly taking out 56 to seal the win and the championship.
Speaking after her triumph, Greaves expressed profound relief. "I'm not one to celebrate but I just felt the relief after winning," she told Sky Sports. "To hit that last dart was just an outpouring of relief. I am just so happy to win. I didn't think I played my A-game, but just to win and get over it is such a massive thing. It is a terrific night."
Greaves' path to the final was not without its challenges. After a comfortable 5-1 quarter-final victory over Kirsi Viinikainen, she was pushed to a deciding leg in the semi-finals by Gemma Hayter, eventually prevailing with a stylish 104 checkout. In contrast, Fallon Sherrock enjoyed a dominant run to the final, dropping only one leg across her quarter-final and semi-final matches, including a decisive 5-1 win against defending champion Lisa Ashton.
For Sherrock, this marks the third consecutive year she has fallen short in the final, with a Women's Matchplay title continuing to elude her since the tournament's inception in 2022. However, for three-time women's world champion Greaves, this victory adds another significant honour to an already stellar year. Earlier in April, she made history by becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking title, defeating Michael Smith. This followed her groundbreaking achievement in February, when she became the first woman to achieve a nine-dart finish on the PDC ProTour during a match against Mensur Suljovic.