The Women’s Series in Leicester delivered a weekend of thrilling darts action, showcasing both consistent dominance and surprising upsets. While reigning champion Beau Greaves continued her formidable winning streak by securing two more titles on Saturday, Sunday saw veteran Deta Hedman claim a historic victory and Vicky Pruim earn her maiden title. These results have significantly shaken up the qualification race for major tournaments, with implications for players like Fallon Sherrock, as the battle for PDC World Championship and Women’s World Matchplay spots intensifies.
The Return to Leicester: High Stakes and Fierce Competition
The Women’s Series resumed in Leicester last weekend, bringing together approximately 80-90 top female darts players from across the globe. They converged to compete for crucial ranking points, which are vital for securing coveted spots in prestigious events like the **PDC World Darts Championship** and the **Women’s World Matchplay**. Among the international field were two Dutch talents, Kyana Frauenfelder and Laura van den Berg, eager to make their mark.
Greaves’ Saturday Masterclass: Unstoppable Dominance Continues
Saturday was a testament to the incredible talent of **Beau Greaves**, who remained **undefeated**, adding her 54th and 55th Women’s Series titles to an already astonishing record. ‘Beau ‘n’ Arrow’ demonstrated supreme confidence, securing comfortable 5-1 victories over darts legends like **Trina Gulliver** and **Karolina Ratajska** (wife of PDC star Krzysztof Ratajski) in the finals. Her path to victory seemed effortless, with only one match truly testing her resolve.
- In Women’s Series 10, Greaves faced a nail-biting encounter against **Deta Hedman** in the quarter-finals.
- Hedman, needing a 126 finish to win, missed a crucial match dart on double 6 in the decisive leg (the final leg of a tied match).
- Greaves, ever the composed competitor, seized the opportunity, closing out the leg and the match in 17 darts.
Sunday’s Surprises: New Champions Rise and the Reign is Tested
Sunday brought a different dynamic to the oche, proving that even the most dominant players can be challenged. For the first time in the weekend, **Beau Greaves did not remain undefeated**, setting the stage for some thrilling upsets.
Series 11: Hedman’s Triumphant Return
The first tournament of Sunday, Women’s Series 11, saw Greaves’ winning streak come to an end in the quarter-finals. She faced **Rhian O’Sullivan** from Wales, who, despite Greaves battling back from 3-2 and 4-3 down to force a decisive ninth leg, capitalized on Greaves’ inability to finish 105. O’Sullivan expertly took out a **90-finish** (scoring 90 points to win the leg) to secure a memorable victory.
O’Sullivan’s journey, however, ended in the semi-finals, where she was defeated 5-3 by **Deta Hedman**. The final saw Hedman take on Finland’s **Kirsi Viinikainen**. The match was tightly contested, level at 3-3, before Hedman broke serve with a 17-dart leg and then held her own in 15 darts to seal a **5-3 victory**. This momentous win marked the **66-year-old Hedman’s second career Women’s Series title**, and her first since 2020, highlighting her enduring class.
Series 12: Pruim Claims Her Maiden Title
The final tournament of the weekend, Women’s Series 12, saw Greaves again falter in the quarter-finals, meaning she concluded the weekend with two titles instead of a potential four. This time, fellow English player **Gemma Hayter** was her conqueror, triumphing 5-4. Greaves mounted a comeback from 4-2 down to level at 4-4, but **four missed match darts** (opportunities to win the match) ultimately proved fatal. Hayter then went on to convincingly beat Deta Hedman 5-1 in the semi-finals, securing her spot in the final.
Awaiting Hayter in the final was Sweden’s **Vicky Pruim**, who had impressed throughout the tournament with dominant wins over Paige Pauling (4-0) and Karolina Ratajska (5-2). Pruim started the final in blistering form, winning the first four legs, including a brilliant **14-dart leg** (winning a leg in 14 throws). Although Hayter fought back to 4-2 with legs in 16 and 21 darts, Pruim closed out the match with a **16-dart leg** to claim her **first-ever Women’s Series title**. This significant win not only marks a career highlight for Pruim but also brings her a crucial step closer to participating in the Women’s World Matchplay in July.
The Race to the PDC World Championship: Shifting Sands
Despite her two losses on Sunday, **Beau Greaves remains firmly at the top of the Women’s Series Order of Merit**. However, the weekend’s results have had a considerable impact on the players vying for qualification spots for the upcoming **PDC World Darts Championship**. With **Deta Hedman’s title victory** and **Gemma Hayter’s impressive run to the final**, the standings have seen significant movement.
Notably, **Fallon Sherrock, ‘The Queen of the Palace,’ currently finds herself outside the automatic qualification places**. Her weekend in Leicester yielded no finals appearances, with her best result being a single quarter-final exit, a stark contrast to her usual high standards. After 24 tournaments, the top three players in the Women’s Series Order of Merit who have not already qualified through other means will earn a coveted spot at the World Championship. As it stands, **Lisa Ashton, Deta Hedman, and Gemma Hayter are currently in the strongest positions** to secure these highly sought-after places, setting the stage for an even more exciting second half of the season.
Source: Based on an article from Darts Actueel.
