Women’s World Matchplay: Beau Greaves defeats Mikuru Suzuki to win title in Blackpool
The best of the action from the Women’s World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool as Beau Greaves claimed the title
The best of the action from the Women’s World Matchplay at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool as Beau Greaves claimed the title
Teenage sensation Beau Greaves lived up to the pre-tournament billing by outclassing the field on her way to victory at the Women’s World Matchplay.
Greaves continued her domination of the women’s game to storm to the title at Blackpool’s Winter Gardens.
The 19-year-old dispatched Japan’s Mikuru Suzuki 6-1 in the showpiece to triumph on her Winter Gardens debut, relinquishing just four legs throughout the event in claiming the £10,000 top prize.
Women’s World Matchplay Results
| quarter finals | Handsome Greaves | 4-0 | Noa Lynn van Leuven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robyn Byrne | 4-3 | Rhian O’Sullivan | |
| Mikuru Suzuki | 4-2 | Aileen de Graaf | |
| Lisa Ashton | 4-3 | fallon sherrock | |
| Semi Finals | Handsome Greaves | 5-3 | Robyn Byrne |
| Mikuru Suzuki | 5-3 | Lisa Ashton | |
| Final | Handsome Greaves | 6-1 | Mikuru Suzuki |
“I wasn’t at my best, but I got over the line, so I’m really happy,” said Greaves, who has now sealed her qualification for November’s Grand Slam of Darts and the 2023/24 World Darts Championship.
“I didn’t think I was going to win this with the way I was playing, but after the year I’ve had and all the tournaments I’ve won, I’m so grateful to be stood here holding this trophy.
“I’m so excited to be going to the Grand Slam and the World Championship, but I need to practice more! I need to get more comfortable on the big stage.
“It means everything [to win this title]. I’ve got so much respect for all of the ladies that have played up here, and I’m looking forward to another great year.”
Greaves nailed this 74 checkout to win her first Women’s World Matchplay title
Greaves has shattered a host of records on the PDC Women’s Series circuit during the last year, and reaffirmed her status as the premier player in women’s darts at the Empress Ballroom.
Greaves and Suzuki arrived in Blackpool as the top two seeds, and they renewed their rivalry on one of the sport’s most iconic stages, in a fitting finale to the second staging of the £25,000 tournament.
The Doncaster star seized the early initiative as she crashed in five perfect darts to break throw in leg two before firing in a second 180 en route to a 3-0 lead, and then exploiting further misses from Suzuki in leg four to continue the procession.
She missed the bull for a spectacular 161 checkout before moving to the cusp of victory, although Suzuki avoided the whitewash by surviving two match darts in leg six.
Mikuru Suzuki walked out to ‘Baby Shark’ which got MC John McDonald even busting a move
Greaves quashed any hopes of a miracle fightback, defying back-to-back 140s from Suzuki to secure victory with a clinical 74 combination on tops.
She kicked off her campaign with a thumping 4-0 victory over Dutch debutant Noa-Lynn van Leuven, who became the first trans woman to compete in a PDC televised event.
Greaves then recovered from a sluggish start to defeat Ireland’s Robyn Byrne in an entertaining semi-final.
Two-time Lakeside women’s champion Suzuki fell just short in her bid for glory, despite defeating last year’s runner-up Aileen de Graaf and Lancashire veteran Lisa Ashton on her Blackpool bow.
Robyn Byrne impressed with this sensational two-dart 95 finish as she knocked out Rhian O’Sullivan
Earlier in the afternoon, reigning champion Fallon Sherrock was beaten by Ashton in a dramatic quarter-final, despite producing a 12-dart skin-saver in leg six to force a last-leg shoot-out.
Byrne also won through a deciding-leg tie against Rhian O’Sullivan in the last eight.
We are back for the World Matchplay final as Nathan Aspinall and Jonny Clayton battle it out for the Phil Taylor Trophy – live on Sky Sports Action from 8pm. Stream the World Matchplay final and more with NOW for £21 a month
