Watch the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship - live on Sky Sports - all the way until the final on January 3 Teenage sensation Beau Greaves takes on Ireland's Willie O'Connor this Friday evening from 7pm
Friday 16 December 2022 18:29, UK
Beau Greaves is refusing to be overawed as she prepares to break new ground in darts when she begins her World Championship campaign on Friday night.
The Doncaster thrower will make history as the youngest woman to compete in the 30-year history of the tournament when she faces Ireland's Willie O'Connor in her first-round match - live on Sky Sports Darts.
Greaves won 52 successive games in the PDC Women's Series and she heads to Alexandra Palace in red-hot form following more success on the WDF circuit in Prague and Assen.
The 18-year-old, who won the 2022 WDF world title earlier this year, came close to quitting the sport after suffering from dartitis - the unexplained loss of motor control in the hand, wrist, or arm.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, 'Beau 'n' Arrow' said: "With me, it was more about my approach to the board. I'd panicked before I even got on the oche. It was a lot of anxiety thinking I'm going to miss the board, especially in front of people.
"We were coming out of lockdown and I hadn't played in front of people so I had gone from one of those [where I was] beating everyone to a bit of a comedown.
"It was hard to come to terms with [the fact that] I might never get over it but I have such good family around me. My dad's had it and my brother Tay [Taylor] has had it but you can't let it bother you too much.
"You have to work through it and you just can't let it bother you too much. I just try and ignore it if it happens. It's one of those things you can't forget about - it's in your head."
Her 5-3 victory over Fallon Sherrock in the PDC Women's Series final of Event 19 in Wigan in October saw her nail a 148 checkout and finish with an astonishing record-breaking 107.86 average which helped her secure her second spot behind Lisa Ashton in the Women's Order of Merit standings.
Sherrock has been the trailblazer in recent years after making history by becoming the first woman to win matches at the Worlds three years ago.
And Greaves says that she has noticed the media attention surrounding her own involvement in the Worlds dwindling since Sherrock was awarded a place in the tournament by the PDC.
"Honestly, I felt more pressure before Fallon was in it," said Greaves. "When Fallon was awarded her spot I felt the attention went on her and that took it off me a little bit."
The teenager is now looking forward to playing on the big stage and feels everything is a "massive bonus" for her as she looks to do some serious damage.
"I'm looking forward to playing at the Worlds because it's massive. There's not many 18 year olds who can say they've played at Ally Pally - especially because I'm a girl," said Greaves.
"This is an an opportunity that not many people get and I'm just going to do my best.
"If I play terrible, I play terrible. If I play good, I play good. You can't do anything about it."
Greaves' brother Taylor has not held back, claiming his sister has the potential to better the biggest names in the competition including defending champion Peter Wright, Michael van Gerwen, Gerwyn Price and Michael Smith by winning the title at Ally Pally.
He said: "Beau is capable of winning it - 100 per cent. She just wants to get up there and enjoy it. If she beats William O'Connor, who's a cracking thrower, it'll give her that edge.
"Gabriel Clemens next! She's capable of winning it. And to be fair, every obstacle Beau has faced she ain't bottled it. She's gone straight through it."
Watch the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship - live on Sky Sports - from December 15 to January 3.
