Listen to the latest episode of the Love The Darts podcast below as Mark Webster and Michael Bridge join Emma Paton to look back on the World Grand Prix, while we also hear from winner Luke Humphries, and they discuss Beau Greaves' absence at this year's PDC World Darts Championship
Thursday 12 October 2023 10:56, UK
Mark Webster has described Beau Greaves' decision to defend her WDF Women's World Championship title at Lakeside, and therefore miss playing in the PDC World Darts Championship, as "a gamble".
Greaves dropped only one set the entire tournament when claiming her first world title at the 2022 WDF tournament, producing a record average of 92.02 in beating Kirsty Hutchinson in the final.
The 19-year-old has also qualified to play in this year's PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace by virtue of winning the Women's World Matchplay in Blackpool this summer. But the two tournaments held in December clash and Greaves has opted to defend her title.
The winner of the WDF Women's World Championship claims £25,000, while Greaves would have to reach the third round at Ally Pally to match that haul. Making her debut last year, she was beaten 3-0 by William O'Connor in the first round.
On the latest Love The Darts podcast, former BDO world champion Mark Webster said: "Whether it is the right decision or not, I don't know.
"There's £25,000 up for grabs for winning [the WDF]. There's never a guarantee, but she's a big front-runner, isn't she?
"It's a gamble, because if she comes unstuck in the WDF first round, she misses out on the £7,500 guaranteed [for going out in the first round at the World Darts Championship].
"It must have been hard for her to decline playing at the Ally Pally, because no game she plays at that other event will be played in that atmosphere - I think we all admit that - and she was close to taking a couple of sets off O'Connor last year.
"But it's her decision. Every darts player is entitled to make their own decision and there's no sanctions. She can resume back on the [PDC] women's series next year."
Also speaking to Sky Sports on Greaves' decision, professional darts player Laura Turner cited her age and the fact that there will be plenty of opportunities for the prodigious talent to make her name on the Ally Pally stage - a la Fallon Sherrock's famous run to the third round in 2019.
"She's found herself in a very unique position," Turner said. "She was in between a rock and a hard place. It must have been a very tough decision to make.
"I don't necessarily think it's a financial decision with her. She wanted to go back and try to retain her title.
"I'd have loved to have seen her in the Worlds, with the way she plays. She had a really tough draw against Willie O'Connor last year in the opening round and she still conducted herself really well, played really well. And we know that a win or two there can really propel your career in different ways. Fallon is a testament to that.
"But she's still only 19 and is still developing in the sport, which is quite a scary prospect in itself."
Watch the 17th staging of the Grand Slam of Darts from November 11-19 at the Aldersley Leisure Village in Wolverhampton. Stream your favourite sports and more with NOW.
