Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock each walked away with a title at the PDC Women’s Series Events 17 and 18 on Saturday, reinforcing their positions as the second and third ranked players on the circuit. The double‑header took place at the Mattioli Arena in Leicester, where both competitors delivered dominant performances to claim their respective trophies.
Event 17 opened with Ashton in blistering form. She breezed through the round of 16, not dropping a single leg in three consecutive whitewash matches. In the second round she faced Lauren Hall and surrendered just one leg before progressing to the quarter‑finals. After that, the Lancaster‑based darts professional met Grace Ferridge, defeating her 5‑1 to secure a place in the semi‑finals.
The semi‑final proved more testing; Ashton met Gemma Hayter and was forced into a deciding leg, ultimately edging out her opponent to book a spot in the final. In the championship match Ashton faced Lauryn Salter, the 2025 Women’s World Matchplay champion. Ashton dominated the encounter, delivering a flawless 5‑0 victory that marked her third Women’s Series title of the 2026 season. Salter, despite the loss, achieved a personal milestone by reaching her first Women’s Series final, having previously only made the semi‑finals at Event 12 earlier in the year.
Her run to the final, which also included wins over Emma Pearce and Jade Gofford, propelled her to 16th place in the series rankings. Event 18 saw Fallon Sherrock step onto the stage with the aim of preventing Ashton from securing a second title on the same day. Sherrock started strongly, losing only one leg across her first two matches against Hollie McKain and Julie Whitehouse.
In the quarter‑finals she faced Jody Hancock, posting a respectable 93 average in a 5‑2 win, and then dispatched Leanne Topper without difficulty to reach the last eight. The semi‑final pitted Sherrock against Aoife McCormack, a match she won 5‑0, followed by a tighter contest with Gemma Hayter, which she clinched 5‑3.
This victory set up a rematch of the July Women’s World Matchplay semi‑final, this time with the stakes reversed: Sherrock versus Ashton in the final. Sherrock replicated her earlier dominance, beating Ashton 5‑0 to claim her first Women’s Series title of the year, her first on the circuit in more than 16 months. Beau Greaves, who was absent from the Saturday action, remains atop the Women’s Series leaderboard.
Ashton and Sherrock, by virtue of their wins, have solidified their places in second and third, respectively. The importance of these positions cannot be overstated, as the top three finishers in the final Women’s Series rankings will earn spots at the 2026/27 Paddy Power World Darts Championship.
In addition, the series leader will also qualify for the 2026 Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts. The detailed results from the two events are as follows: Event 17 – Quarter‑Finals: Lauryn Salter 5‑2 Emma Pearce; Jade Gofford 5‑2 Sue Lowther; Lisa Ashton 5‑1 Grace Ferridge; Gemma Hayter 5‑3 Aileen de Graaf. Semi‑Finals: Lauryn Salter 5‑4 Jade Gofford; Lisa Ashton 5‑4 Gemma Hayter.
Final: Lisa Ashton 5‑0 Lauryn Salter. Event 18 – Quarter‑Finals: Karolina Ratajska 5‑2 Tracey Dean; Lisa Ashton 5‑1 Trina Gulliver; Gemma Hayter 5‑1 Kirsty Hutchinson; Fallon Sherrock 5‑0 Aoife McCormack. Semi‑Finals: Lisa Ashton 5‑3 Karolina Ratajska; Fallon Sherrock 5‑3 Gemma Hayter.
Final: Fallon Sherrock 5‑0 Lisa Ashton. Beyond the immediate results, the weekend highlighted the depth of talent in the women’s game.
Players such as Lauryn Salter are beginning to break through, while seasoned veterans like Ashton continue to demonstrate why they remain at the top of the sport. Sherrock’s resurgence, culminating in a decisive victory over her long‑time rival, suggests that the competition for the series crown will remain fierce throughout the remainder of the season. Fans can catch live darts coverage on Sky Sports, stream matches via NOW, or follow the latest highlights and podcasts, including the "Love the Darts" show, to stay up‑to‑date with every throw and upset. The upcoming BoyleSports World Grand Prix will see World No.
1 Luke Littler defending his title, adding another layer of excitement to an already bustling darts calendar. Overall, Saturday's double‑header at Mattioli Arena delivered high‑quality darts, compelling storylines, and a clear indication that the race for the top spots in the Women’s Series is far from decided, setting the stage for more thrilling contests as the season progresses.