Beau Greaves, 18, makes history as youngest woman to compete at World Championship but is denied fairytale debut win
THERE WAS no fairy tale ending for Beau Greaves as her teen dreams were stolen by the darts’ Magpie.
The 18-year-old from Doncaster acquitted herself with distinction despite losing 3-0 on her debut appearance at the hands of William O’Connor at the PDC World Darts Championship.
The WDF women’s world champion missed darts to win the first two sets and that came back to haunt her as she was knocked out in front of singers Lewis Capaldi and Niall Horan of One Direction fame.
She said: “It’s gutting, I might sound a bit disheartened but I am actually happy with it.
“It’s frustrating that I missed those darts, they weren’t even close, they were miles off. That is what you get when you play the top standard of the men.
“Fair play to him, he was lovely, he made me feel welcome, I wish him all the best for the tournament.
“It’s one of those you have to get used to. Until you play it, the board is different, you don’t feel relaxed.
“I lost and I will move on from it. Now I have done it once, if I get here again it won’t be so bad.
“I am devastated – those darts. I have done those checkouts all year and I lacked that finishing and composure.
“I am only 18. Hopefully I can come back from it and start the New Year fresh.”
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As expected, Status Quo’s ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’ anthem got the crowd up on their feet in the Palm Court Arena as they welcomed the best female darts player in the world.
O’Connor, in comparison, was booed to the rafters as he came on stage, carrying a Limerick flag.
The Irishman – old enough to be his opponent’s dad – tried to play the board not the opponent and ignore the jeering and catcalling and circus surrounding Greaves but that was easier said than done.
Greaves, winner of 23 tournaments this calendar year, took the opening leg thanks to a Shanghai 120 checkout and that would have settled her nerves.
The first set went to a fifth leg as O’Connor missed multiple match darts but Greaves wasted her chance to take an early lead, narrowly going below the double 16 bed.
O’Connor was a relieved man when he took out double five to win the opening set and put out his hands to the fans.
Greaves, who had a marriage proposal from one punter, took out 122 in the first leg of the second set and fist-pumped her Irish rival.
But she was ruing the dart that fell fractionally shy of Bull on a checkout 161 in the third leg.
If she had nailed that, then it would have been the second set and a level game.
O’Connor, 36, showed all of his experience and came from 2-0 down to double his sets lead, banging his chest in response.
The Magpie won the next three legs, the first thanks to a 107, and will now take on German’s Gabriel Clemens.