The third weekend of the PDC Women’s Series in Leicester delivered a captivating mix of dominance and unexpected upsets. Darts sensation Beau Greaves was unstoppable on Saturday, sweeping both tournaments without defeat. However, Sunday brought a stunning turn of events as Greaves unexpectedly crashed out in the quarter-finals of both events, paving the way for seasoned campaigner Deta Hedman and Belgium’s Vicky Pruim to claim their first titles of the weekend.
Greaves’ Unstoppable Saturday: A Double Triumph
The weekend kicked off with the familiar sight of Beau Greaves asserting her dominance. The 20-year-old phenom showcased incredible form, seemingly effortless on her path to victory in both Saturday tournaments. Her performances were a masterclass in efficiency, leaving her competitors struggling to keep pace.
Event 9: A Near-Flawless Performance
In the opening event, Greaves was simply untouchable. She dropped a mere four legs throughout the entire tournament, dispatching opponents with clinical precision. Her route to the final included impressive wins over established names like Vicky Pruim (4-0), Fallon Sherrock (4-2), Lorraine Winstanley (5-0), and Lisa Ashton (5-1). In the final, Greaves faced Trina Gulliver, who had reached the final by defeating Karolina Ratajska in a tight semi-final. Greaves wasted no time, opening with a stunning 128 checkout and an 18-dart leg, quickly securing a 5-1 victory to claim her first title of the weekend.
Event 10: Surviving a Scare to Secure the Double
Greaves continued her winning streak in the second Saturday event, though not without a momentary scare. After comfortable wins in the early rounds, she faced a stern test in the quarter-finals against Deta Hedman. In a thrilling match that went down to the deciding leg, Greaves survived a match dart from Hedman, who narrowly missed Double 6 for a 126 checkout. This close call seemed to reignite Greaves, who then decisively beat Lisa Ashton (5-1) in the semi-finals and Karolina Ratajska (5-1) in the final, completing a perfect Saturday. Ratajska, wife of Krzysztof Ratajski, notably improved her personal best by reaching the final.
Sunday’s Shocks: New Champions Emerge
Sunday brought a dramatic shift in momentum. The seemingly invincible Beau Greaves, after her flawless Saturday, found herself unexpectedly vulnerable, opening the door for other players to seize the spotlight.
Event 11: Deta Hedman Claims Victory
The eleventh tournament of the year saw Greaves suffer only her second defeat of the season. After strong early performances, she was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Rhian O’Sullivan in a nail-biting 5-4 encounter. O’Sullivan sealed the match with a crucial 90 checkout, leaving Greaves waiting on 52. O’Sullivan’s run, however, ended in the semi-finals against Deta Hedman. The “Caribbean Queen,” Hedman, then went on to triumph in the final, defeating Kirsi Viinikainen with a 5-3 scoreline. This victory marked Hedman’s second Women’s Series title since 2020, a testament to her enduring skill and determination.
Event 12: Vicky Pruim’s Maiden Title
The final event of the weekend delivered another surprise winner: Vicky Pruim secured her maiden PDC Women’s Series title. The Belgian player navigated a challenging field, overcoming Grace Ferridge (4-1), Karolina Ratajska (5-2), and Lauryn Salter (5-3) on her way to the final. In another significant upset, Greaves was once again eliminated in the quarter-finals, this time by Gemma Hayter in a tense 5-4 battle where Greaves missed multiple match darts in the decider. Pruim then faced Hayter in the final, establishing a quick 4-0 lead before closing out the match 5-2 with a 16-dart leg, securing a memorable first win.
PDC Women’s Series Rankings Update
The weekend’s results solidified Beau Greaves’ commanding lead in the PDC Women’s Series rankings, while also shaping the race for qualification to prestigious events.
- Beau Greaves: Leads comfortably with £23,500. She is widely expected to qualify for the PDC World Championship 2027 via the Pro Tour, freeing up Women’s Series qualification spots.
- Current Ally Pally Qualifiers (excluding Greaves):
- Lisa Ashton: £9,650
- Deta Hedman: £6,300
- Gemma Hayter: £6,300
- Just Outside: Fallon Sherrock (£6,000) is currently narrowly missing out on a World Championship spot.
- Top German Player: Silvia Lindner sits at 32nd in the rankings.
Tournament Structure and Prize Money
Each PDC Women’s Series event offers a substantial prize fund of £15,000, distributed as follows:
- Winner: £2,500
- Runner-Up: £1,000
- Semi-Finalists: £750
- Quarter-Finalists: £500
- Last 16: £300
- Last 32: £200
- Last 64: £75 (if at least 128 players participate)
Matches up to and including the Last 16 are played as Best of 7 Legs. Quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals are played as Best of 9 Legs, demanding greater endurance from the players.
Source: Based on an article from dartn.de.
