Beau Greaves nearly stuns Daryl Gurney at World Darts Championship
21-year-old world No. 1 in women's darts pushes world No. 22 to a deciding leg before the Northern Irishman seals 3-2 victory at Alexandra Palace
Beau Greaves, the 21-year-old world No. 1 in women's darts, pushed Daryl Gurney to the limit at the World Darts Championship on Friday night at Alexandra Palace before the Northern Irishman edged a deciding fifth set to win 3-2.
Greaves, who has gained prominence in the sport for her achievements in the women's game, matched Gurney stride for stride and took the second set with a 10-dart leg. Gurney fought back in the third set, and the match went the distance, with Greaves forcing a deciding fifth set after earlier building a 2-1 lead in sets. Gurney ultimately prevailed, despite missing four match darts, to claim the win.
After the match, Gurney paid tribute to Greaves' talent. 'For me she is the best woman darts player on the planet,' he said. 'If there's going to be a (female) darts player who can win the World Championship or a major Championship, that's the player. Even from a man's point of view that woman has got some cojones. What a darts player, honestly what a darts player.' He added that Greaves deserved the recognition her performances have earned and that he admired her composure under pressure as the crowd heckled in her favor.
Greaves has long been viewed as a trailblazer in darts. The Doncaster-born player became the youngest woman to compete at the World Championship when she appeared there at 18 in 2023, and she rose further into the public consciousness in October when she beat Luke Littler to win the PDC World Youth Championship. Earlier in 2024, she had sparked debate by saying that men’s and ladies’ darts should be separate, and that a woman might not be able to win at Ally Pally—comments she later revisited in light of her rapid rise.
The night at Alexandra Palace thus added to the growing discussion about women competing on a shared stage with the sport's top men. Greaves' performance showed her ability to push top competitors and demonstrated that she remains a serious contender at the game's highest levels as she continues to expand her presence in both the women's and the men's games.