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Fallon Sherrock reveals she gets 'hate' from her fellow professional players, saying it's not a nice environment
Fallon Sherrock opens up on the "hate" she has received from her fellow professionals at the recent PDC Women's Series in Wigan: "I even get it with players now and I genuinely don't care anymore. I am at a point where I don't care what anyone does or says to me"
Last Updated: 14/11/22 6:31pm
A distraught Fallon Sherrock has opened up to the hostile environment she experienced at the recent PDC Women's Series in Wigan, also revealing "it doesn't matter what I do, I am still going to get hate".
Sherrock remains a trailblazer for women's darts after rising to prominence following her history-making exploits at the 2020 World Championship, as she became the first woman to win a match in the sport's biggest event.
The 'Queen of the Palace' has since reached the Nordic Darts Masters final and last year's Grand Slam quarter-finals, and was crowned the inaugural Women's Matchplay Champion in July, which earned her an automatic spot at the Grand Slam of Darts.
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Ahead of the tournament in Wolverhampton, Sherrock posted on Twitter: "So another PDC TV event beckons - really looking forward to the Grand Slam #letthehatebegin."
The Milton Keynes thrower explained: "It doesn't matter what I do, I am still going to get hate. I could be the best person in the world and I still get hate or I could do everything wrong and still get it. I am at a point now where I am like, 'If you are going to hate me, hate me'.
"I am not going to beat around the bush, I even get it with players now and I genuinely don't care anymore. I am at a point where I don't care what anyone does or says to me."
Sherrock disrespected
"It is mostly the women, I am not welcome with the women much anymore, I learned that in Wigan, so that was eventful"
Fallon Sherrock
Sherrock missed out on this year's tournament at Alexandra Palace after teenage sensation Beau Greaves pipped her to the post as with a remarkable winning run, despite the fact she did not feature in the year's first 12 events of the PDC Women's Series.
She was beaten in an eventful Event 19 final at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan by 18-year-old Greaves, who posted a remarkable 107.86 to close out a thrilling 5-3 victory.
At 3-3, Greaves took out a brilliant 148 to hold throw and she then followed three 140s with an 81 finish for an 11-darter to wrap up the title.
The floor tournaments played in front of players, friends and family, are held to the best of order but Sherrock feels totally disrespected by her fellow professionals.
She explained: "It should be best of order at these type of events. Don't get me wrong, it's all run perfectly - the PDC run it so well. I just remember playing that final against Beau but that roar after her 148, after the match I walked out and could see everyone barring people that were sat on my table watching and cheering and I just thought 'do you know what, you should support everyone in the room if they play well'. I get it all the time, I don't know why I'm not used to it by now.
"I did let the atmosphere get to me, I should be more professional around it all, I shouldn't let it get to me, but me and Lisa (Ashton) have done so much, it wasn't even the end of the game. I could understand if it was the end of the game. It was literally near enough the whole room.
"It is mostly the women, I am not welcome with the women much anymore, I learned that in Wigan, so that was eventful. I want to try and better myself so I have more opportunity playing on the PDC side with the men, so hopefully I can perform better and improve."
"I feel what me and Lisa have done for the sport, I don't think they realise how much we have helped," Sherrock added. "It's not like they should say 'thank you', but they genuinely don't care and they are all against us, they cheer against us and it's just not a very nice environment."
Trailblazer
Sherrock says she is trying to further opportunities for women in the sport and hopes there will be more possibilities in the future with more prize money and competitions on offer, more so now than ever before.
"At some point it will change, but hopefully the more opportunities the women get then it will change, but at the moment it is a little bit like that," said Sherrock.
"It makes me more determined and encourages me to do better because I want to push the game as far as I can and make a good living for me and my little boy, and that is the only thing I have in my mindset.
"I want to raise awareness for women to play in sport, and things like that, so the more I can do for it then brilliant, but at the moment I am just focused on doing myself and my little boy proud."
Sherrock also revealed she still receives a lot of online hate but said: "that is not going to change how I play or who I am."
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Greaves is a 'great asset to the sport'
Despite the disappointment of the Women's Series, Sherrock has backed Greaves to achieve greatness as she prepares to make her Alexandra Palace debut in December and hopes there can be a rivalry between them in the future.
"Beau is a really good player," said Sherrock. "She can be as good as she wants to be in herself. I don't know her that well, I will say 'hi' to her. Genuinely, I think she is a great asset to the sport and she can excel as high as she wants to go.
"I am all up for a rivalry because it means that it is not all on me and I am not going to get all of the hate.
"It gives me an incentive to be like 'I want to be the one they talk about again' and push me on and give me more hunger for it. I am really excited to see how I am going to go in the next few months."
Watch the Grand Slam of Darts at Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton all the way through until the final on November 20 - with every session live on Sky Sports & don't forget the World Championship is also coming to Sky Sports from December 15 until January 3.
