Beau Greaves entered the Hungarian Darts Trophy as a 22‑year‑old rising star, making history by becoming the first woman ever to qualify for a Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) European Tour event. Her qualification, secured the previous month, earned her spots in both the Budapest leg of the tournament and the upcoming Czech Darts Open in September. On Friday evening she faced seasoned Englishman Rob Cross in the opening round, and the match evolved into a dramatic showdown that went right down to the deciding 11th leg.
From the first throw, the contest was anything but ordinary. Cross opened the match with a flawless 170 checkout, the highest possible finish in a single turn, and set the tone with a strong start. Greaves, however, responded swiftly, displaying the poise and precision that have made her a dominant force on the PDC women’s circuit.
She claimed the next two legs, demonstrating a blend of power and accuracy that left the crowd buzzing. Throughout the encounter Greaves posted a remarkable average of 104.88, the highest of the night, and she also recorded five perfect 180 scores – the maximum three‑dart total. Those figures are impressive for any player, let alone a debutant on the European Tour stage.
Cross, not to be outdone, maintained a solid average of 101.90, keeping the match tightly balanced. The tension escalated as the legs swung back and forth.
Greaves pulled within one leg of victory at 5‑4, putting immense pressure on the experienced Cross. Yet the veteran showed why he is a former world champion, rallying to take the next two legs and level the match at 5‑5. The final leg arrived with Greaves needing to finish a remaining 70. Unfortunately, she missed her first two darts, handing Cross an opening to claim the decisive checkout of 61.
The 35‑year‑old then secured the win, advancing to face Luke Woodhouse in the second round. After the match, Cross praised his opponent, saying, "Beau is brilliant. She is going places.
She has been phenomenal on the ProTour, and I think when she learns her trade on the big stage, she's going to do more." The Englishman added that he feels confident with his current set‑up and is eager to prove his own capabilities as the tournament progresses. Greaves' performance, despite the loss, was a watershed moment for women's darts. By qualifying for a PDC European Tour event and pushing a former world champion to the brink, she demonstrated that the gender barrier in elite darts is rapidly eroding.
Her high average and multiple 180s proved that she can compete at the highest level, and many observers expect her to become a regular fixture on the main tour in the near future. The evening also delivered other notable upsets.
Hungary’s own Laszlo Kadar stunned the crowd by defeating Daryl Gurney 6‑5, earning a place in the next round against Jonny Clayton. Defending champion Niko Springer advanced comfortably with a 6‑1 win over Maik Kuivenhoven, while former tour winners Joe Cullen and Dave Chisnall also moved forward after 6‑3 victories against Adam Leek and Andras Borbely respectively.
Several top players, including Luke Humphries, Gian van Veen and Michael van Gerwen, received byes into the second round. Humphries, fresh off a win at Players Championship 28 in Leicester, will meet World Matchplay semi‑finalist Dirk van Duijvenbode, who dispatched David Pisek 6‑1 earlier in the day. The full schedule of first‑round results was as follows: Afternoon Session: Jonas Masalin 6‑4 Kevin Doets, Andrew Gilding 6‑0 Milan Biro, Ritchie Edhouse 6‑1 Connor Scutt, Niko Springer 6‑1 Maik Kuivenhoven, William O'Connor 6‑2 Samuel Price, Keane Barry 6‑2 Martin Schindler, Ryan Joyce 6‑3 Cristo Reyes, Dave Chisnall 6‑3 Andras Borbely. Evening Session: Dirk van Duijvenbode 6‑1 David Pisek, Laszlo Kadar 6‑5 Daryl Gurney, Krzysztof Ratajski 6‑5 Callan Rydz, Joe Cullen 6‑3 Adam Leek, Rob Cross 6‑5 Beau Greaves, Nandor Major 6‑5 Niels Zonneveld, Tom Sykes 6‑1 Cameron Menzies, James Hurrell 6‑5 Damon Heta.
Looking ahead, darts fans can also keep an eye on the upcoming BoyleSports World Grand Prix, where world number one Luke Littler will defend his title from September 28 to October 4. The event will be streamed live on Sky Sports, offering another opportunity to watch the sport’s top talent in action. Overall, the Hungarian Darts Trophy provided a thrilling mix of breakthrough performances, surprising upsets, and high‑quality darts.
Beau Greaves may have fallen just short, but her historic debut and near‑victory over a former world champion have already cemented her status as a trailblazer and a future star of the sport.