Darts World Cup 2024
Best darts player in the world: Why 19-year-old Beau Greaves is foregoing a World Cup start
Beau Greaves a year ago at Alexandra Palace, this time she is missing
© Zac Goodwin / DPA
Beau Greaves dominates the women’s tour and also keeps up well with the men. Despite qualifying, she decided not to take part in the World Cup in the legendary Ally Pally. Why?
When the World Darts Championship begins in London this week, Beau Greaves will already be world champion. However, at our own women’s tournament and at the World Darts Federation (WDF). The 19-year-old Greaves received a winner’s check for 25,000 pounds (around 29,000 euros) for defending her title at the Lakeside Country Club. However, public awareness of the tournament was low. Things will be different at the PDC tournament in the famous Alexandra Palace starting this Friday (8 p.m./Sport1 and DAZN).
Greaves would have liked to start at both tournaments, but the PDC banned a double start and gave the Englishwoman a difficult decision. The super talent decided to defend the women’s title and forego a start in London. “It wasn’t an easy decision of course, but I’m very happy that I chose the WDF World Championships,” said Greaves.
Beau Greaves is the best woman in darts
The young athlete comes from Doncaster in northern England, where she started playing darts in her brother’s room at the age of ten. It quickly became clear that Greaves was a real natural talent. At the age of twelve she represented England at international youth championships and was already traveling all over the continent. However, her rise was not without problems. For a whole year, Greaves suffered from dartitis, a psychological blockage that causes athletes to no longer let go of the dart at the right time or even to despair when they stand in front of the target. But she got over the bad phase and has been playing with the seniors since 2021.
She recently caused a stir when she once again proved that she can easily keep up with men. At the Grand Slam of Darts, she gave the German whiz kid Ricardo Pietreczko no chance with a spectacular 5-1 win.
Greaves is missing from the Darts World Cup as a figurehead
The fact that Greaves is not taking part in the PDC World Championship is annoying for the most important competition in darts because an up-and-coming star is missing. But the PDC is in competition with the other associations and strictly ensures that the major tournaments are only contested by its own athletes.
In terms of sport, Greaves is clearly stronger than the World Cup starters Fallon Sherrock, also from England, and the Japanese Mikuru Suzuki. That’s precisely why it would have been interesting to see whether Greaves kept her promises. The world elite is at least enthusiastic. Former world champion Rob Cross told the German Press Agency: “She is a breathtaking player. She has time completely on her side. She is so young. She is getting better and better. If she continues to improve, she can also win the men’s game. Win the World Cup one day.”