Beau Greaves' remarkable victory over Luke Littler at the PDC World Youth Championships last October should have catapulted her to stardom. However, for many media outlets, her achievement was overshadowed by the fact that she is a woman, with headlines focusing on the 'Battle of the Sexes' rather than her impressive skill. Greaves' win was a defining moment, marking her as the first woman to reach the World Youth Final and defeating the dominant Littler.
Yet, the emphasis on her gender may have a detrimental effect on her long-term prospects in the sport. According to Laura Turner, Sky Sports pundit and pro player, 'We want the publicity, we want the role models, we want people to be visible, but be visible for the right reasons - and that's just the quality of play.' Turner reflects on the trailblazing exploits of players like Lisa Ashton, the first woman to win a tour card at Q-School, and Fallon Sherrock, the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Darts Championship. Greaves has exploded onto the darts scene with three consecutive WDF World Darts Championships and two Women's World Matchplay championships.
Before Greaves, Anastasia Dobromyslova was the first woman to beat a male professional on TV in the Grand Slam of Darts in 2009. Turner notes that the narrative has started to change, with the focus shifting from the player's gender to their skills. Greaves' confidence has grown, and she now believes she belongs on the stage competing with the best.
She aims to help other women follow her lead, saying, 'It's getting the exposure for the ladies to be able to go and play the bigger players and bigger names on a regular basis.' The 'Battle of the Sexes' phrase has seen a resurgence in recent months, with Aryna Sabalenka's tennis exhibition match against Nick Kyrgios. However, in darts, women are competing on a level playing field, and Turner wants fans to appreciate this.
'You don't want to shy away from the fact that that person is female because you want the role models for young girls to come through. But you also don't need that to be the only thing that people talk about.' Turner praises female players who have managed to cope with the pressure of being in the spotlight, including dealing with dartitis, a psychological condition that can impact a player's performance. Greaves has spoken openly about her struggles with dartitis and has learned to remain grounded with the support of her family network. As the Premier League Darts approaches, Greaves is ready to take on the best players, and her story serves as an inspiration to young girls everywhere.