Beau Greaves' remarkable victory over world No 1 Luke Littler at the PDC World Youth Championships last October should have catapulted her to stardom. However, many media outlets reduced her achievement to her gender, with headlines focusing on the 'Battle of the Sexes' narrative.
This shift in focus raises questions about whether the emphasis on her gender is detrimental to Greaves' 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, Fallon Sherrock, and Anastasia Dobromyslova, who paved the way for Greaves. Greaves has exploded onto the darts scene with three consecutive WDF World Darts Championships and a two-time Women's World Matchplay champion. The narrative around women in darts is changing, with a shift from 'wow, it's a woman playing darts against the men' to 'it's just a dart player playing against another dart player.' 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 been revived 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 sports fans to appreciate this.
Turner credits female players who have coped with the pressure of being in the spotlight, including dealing with dartitis, a psychological condition that can impact performance. Greaves has spoken openly about her struggles with dartitis and remains grounded with the support of her family network.
As the sport continues to evolve, it's essential to focus on the quality of play and the achievements of players like Greaves, rather than their gender.