.png)
8 hours ago
3
Not content with having one major young prodigy, darts has hit the bullseye again – as Beau Greaves' win over Luke Littler demonstrates.
Greaves may be a new name to some but has been recognised for years within the sport as an outstanding talent.
Appropriately nicknamed 'Beau 'n' Arrow' the 21-year-old from Doncaster beat PDC world champion Littler in a thrilling decider on Monday to become the first woman to reach the final of the World Youth Championship.
The venue was a leisure centre in Wigan, but bigger stages await for Greaves, with the Grand Slam, PDC World Championship and a professional tour card on the horizon.
Victory over Littler came a day after the 18-year-old had won the World Grand Prix, his seventh major title in under two years.
"It was no surprise to me," says Deta Hedman, a three-time women's world championship-runner up who has played darts with Greaves since she was aged 10.
"Once in a while you have a talent that comes through like you had Luke, and Beau is now showing what she can do.
"I've not seen another woman who can play darts like Beau can - she's such a natural. If Beau is in a competition with the rest of the woman, normally we are playing for second place.
"Nothing seems to faze her at all and she just does her thing, that's what I love. When she is on that oche, she is just another being."
It was no fluke, with Littler - who averaged 107.4 to Greaves' 105 – calling her "some talent".
A talent illustrated by the fact she has won 58 matches in a row and nine successive events in the PDC Women's Series.
The double irony of her win over the teenager is some thought his participation was unfair on other players, and Greaves had previously questioned her ability to compete against the top men in the World Championship at Alexandra Palace.
"Men's and ladies darts should be separate. I don't think any lady will ever go to Ally Pally and win that. If you think that, you're being silly," said Greaves last July.
"I just don't think we will ever be good enough to play against the likes of Luke Humphries, Michael van Gerwen or Littler.
"When I go to the Grand Slam I don't look forward to it because I know I have got to play men. I don't fancy my chances at all - I am just realistic."
That was part of the reason the three-time WDF women's world champion had declined to take part in the PDC's main event – plus rules prevented her playing in both – since her debut defeat in 2022.
But with more experience under her belt, and a runner-up spot on the development tour, she has qualified again and seems likely to appear at Alexandra Palace in December.
Greaves started playing with her older brother Taylor, who had a dartboard in his bedroom, and quickly showed her aptitude for the game.
"When she was 11 she went to Jersey with her mum and I remember her beating top women's player Lisa Ashton and me," Hedman told BBC Sport.
"Even then, I knew she was someone very special."
Hedman was the first woman to beat a man in a televised major when she defeated Aaron Turner in the 2005 UK Open and says Greaves can compete at the highest level.
"I do believe Beau will do some damage. Some men do not like playing women even in this day and age as there's more pressure," she said.
"Whether she will ever win one of the big majors remains to be seen. She has the game to beat them.
"And she's such a sweet down-to-earth lady from a lovely family. You couldn't find a nicer young person.
"Within darts there is always going to be back-biting, jealousies but what you see from Beau is what you get and she has time for everyone, whoever you are."
World number one Humphries has been among those to praise Greaves, who made history in February as the first woman to reach the fourth round of the UK Open where she led him 7-5 before eventually losing 10-7.
"I think she's an amazing player and she deserves it," Humphries said during his run to Sunday's World Grand Prix final. "I predict that she'll flourish playing in it [PDC Pro Tour].
"She's been a really great player on the secondary tours this year. She's good on the challenge tour, good on the development tour and she'll be a real threat going forward for all the players. Not just for me but for everyone.
"I think she'll do really well. If she's relaxed and she's got no pressure on her shoulders yes, I believe she will be top 64 within the two years for sure."
Greaves will face defending champion Gian van Veen of the Netherlands in the youth final at Minehead in November.
The next instalment of Greaves v Littler could potentially come as early as next month too at the Grand Slam in Wolverhampton.
And then who knows? She could become the second woman after Fallon Sherrock, in 2019, to win matches in the big one at the Ally Pally.
