Beau Greaves secured her third Women’s World Matchplay title by defeating Fallon Sherrock 6-5 in a tense final-leg decider at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens. The top seed survived a late surge from Sherrock to capture the prestigious crown and the £15,000 first prize.
The journey to the Blackpool winner’s circle proved far from straightforward for the Doncaster star. While Greaves entered the tournament as the clear favourite, she found herself tested by a field of the top eight players on the PDC Women’s Series rankings.
A Thrilling Final Decider Against Fallon Sherrock
The championship match delivered the drama that fans gathered at the Winter Gardens to witness. Greaves established a commanding 5-3 lead before Sherrock fought back, setting up a high-stakes deciding leg where Sherrock opened with a 180.
Greaves answered immediately with a maximum of her own, followed by a 145 set-up before taking out 56 to seal the win. Despite letting her initial 5-3 lead slip, the 22-year-old held her nerve when it mattered most.
“I’m not one to celebrate but I just felt the relief after winning,”
Beau Greaves, via Sky Sports
Greaves noted the intense pressure of the final stages, acknowledging that her performance fell short of her absolute best. To hit that last dart was just an outpouring of relief. I am just so happy to win, she said. I was nervous. That kind of pressure is a privilege – I am doing well and playing well. I didn't think I played my A-game, but just to win and get over it is such a massive thing. It is a terrific night.
Navigating a Path Through the Blackpool Draw
To reach the final, Doncaster’s Greaves came in as the clear favourite, but having breezed through her quarter-final against Finland’s Kirsi Viinikainen, she found herself in trouble in the semis. Gemma Hayter took her to another deciding leg, but Greaves came through in style against the darts, producing a 104 checkout to reach the final.
Karolina Ratajska v Beau Greaves – PDC Women's Series 2026 Event 14 – Final
On the opposite side of the bracket, 2022 champion Sherrock dropped only one leg en route to the trophy match. Her run included taking out defending champion Lisa Ashton in the semi-final, winning 5-1.
Photo: dartsnews.com
For Sherrock, the runner-up finish marked a familiar frustration. However, for the third year running she came up just short in the final as a first Women’s Matchplay title since the inaugural tournament in 2022 continues to elude her. In the 2022 tournament, Sherrock had stated that winning the title was one of her biggest achievements in the women’s game, and she entered the event hungry to get the title back again after missing 11 match darts in last year’s final-leg loss to Ashton.
Ashton had entered the tournament as the defending champion, returning as the four-time Lakeside Women’s champion to begin her title defence against Welsh No 1 Rhian O’Sullivan, looking to join Greaves as the only player to win back-to-back Women’s World Matchplay titles after describing her victory in her hometown last year as absolutely brilliant and one of her biggest achievements.
Building on Historic Success Across the PDC Circuits
For three-time women’s world champion Greaves, though, it is another major triumph in what has already been a year to remember. Between April 2025 and March 2026, she went unbeaten in no fewer than 114 consecutive matches, capturing seventeen successive titles during that remarkable run.
Photo: skysports.com
Her momentum extended directly into the regular PDC Tour. In her first season as a Tour Card holder, she made history in April by winning Players Championship 11 in Milton Keynes by defeating Michael Smith, becoming the first woman to win a PDC ranking title. She is also the first woman to hit a nine-dart finish on the PDC ProTour, having done so in a win against Mensur Suljovic in February.
“Winning a ProTour so quickly was a shock to me,”
"I can't get enough of it!" Beau Greaves reacts after winning 2026 Women's World Matchplay title!
Beau Greaves
That swift transition to the tour required an adjustment period, though Greaves admitted she quickly found her footing among the sport’s elite. “I know I can play darts, but the quality on tour is unreal, so I thought I’d need more time to settle in. It’s amazing for me to play players that I’ve always watched growing up. I love darts, I love playing darts, so it’s all a bonus for me.”
I knew before that playing women is just a little bit different for me now – I just try and concentrate on the men's game – but when I come back and play at this tournament it is hard and I knew it would be tough. I didn't think I'd ease through it but after last year's disappointment, I am so chuffed to get the win. The relief is so good for my game going forward. Reflecting
