Image credit: Mark Robinson/PDC
Image caption: Beau Greaves beats Katie Sheldon, Mirai Suzuki and Fallon Sharrock to win the 2024 Women’s World Matchplay title 21 July 2024 16:48 BST
Updated 1 hour ago
Beau Greaves has said she will not compete in the PDC World Championship following the successful defence of her Women’s World Matchplay title.
Greaves said it would be “foolish” to believe they could beat Alexandra Palace’s top players.
The 20-year-old beat Fallon Sherrock 6-3 in the match play final at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
Greaves was tied with Sherrock at 2-2 but averaged 98.75 and won by four breaks.
The win has qualified her for both the PDC Grand Slam of Darts and the World Championship, although she will forgo the latter in December in order to defend her WDF Women’s World Championship title.
“Men’s and women’s darts should be separate. I don’t think there is any woman who can play and win the Ally Pally – it’s foolish to think so,” she said.
The win will earn her £10,000 prize money as the top seed and she hopes it will lead to more funding being put into women’s tennis.
Greaves qualified for the 2023 PDC World Championship but lost to William O’Connor in the first round and said he did not enjoy the experience.
“I don’t think we’re good enough to play against the likes of Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen and Luke Littler,” she said.
“You’re facing a losing battle even before you throw the dart.
“For me, I think the women’s game is more important.
“I know that even if I go to a Grand Slam I’ll have to play against men so I’m not looking forward to it. I don’t think I have any chance of winning. I’m just being realistic.”
Greaves began her day in Blackpool with a 4-1 win over Katie Sheldon to reach the semi-finals.
In a repeat of the 2023 final, Greaves beat Suzuki Mirai 5-2 in the last four but needed seven match darts to seal victory.
She then reached the semi-finals where she came back from 1-3 down to beat Lisa Ashton 5-4. Both players struggled to hit doubles throughout the match, with Ashton missing seven match darts in the closest match of the tournament.
In the men’s final, Van Gerwen will face Luke Humphries later on Sunday, and live text coverage of the match will be available on the BBC Sport website from 7.30pm BST.
Women’s World Matchplay Results:
Beau Greaves 4-1 Katie Sheldon
Suzuki Miku 4-2 Noah-Lynn van Leuven
Fallon Sherlock 4-0 Anastasia Dobromyslova
Lisa Ashton 4-1 Leanne O’Sullivan
Beaugreaves 5 – 2 Suzuki Mirai
Fallon Sherlock 5-4 Lisa Ashton
Beau Greaves 6-3 Fallon Sherlock
