Fallon Sherrock becomes first woman EVER to reach knockout stages of Grand Slam of Darts with sensational 170 finish
FALLON SHERROCK hit a sensational 170 finish on the Bull to become the first woman to reach the knockout stages of the Grand Slam of Darts.
The Fallon fairytale story continues as she came from 3-1 down to shock giant German Gabriel Clemens 5-3 in the final group match in Wolverhampton.
And the Queen of the Palace finished it off with a magical Big Finish checkout to secure her spot in the Last 16 of this prestigious major.
Next up will be the Mensur Suljovic, one of two men who were historically beaten by Sherrock almost two years ago at the PDC World Darts Championship.
No doubt the Austrian still wakes up in a cold sweat about that defeat to Sherrock in December 2019 at Ally Pally.
Sherrock, 27, a former hairdresser, said: “I’m so delighted. The 170 checkout as well! Wow!
“I don’t know how I kept calm up there. I thought after he got the three legs: ‘Just win, just try to win now and don’t lose a leg.’
“I don’t know how I did it. That 170 – I thought: ‘Right, this has got to go. This is your one shot.’
“I will take each game as it comes. It’s a different format to the last time I played Mensur.
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“Mensur is a great player. I will see what my game is like against Mensur. I am so happy to get through. Oh my God.”
On her debut in this event, Sherrock also hit a checkout of 141 and averaged over 93 as she completed the fightback where there was no margin for error.
Had she not won by two clear legs she would have been eliminated from the group stage like the other previous females in the competition’s history.
Sherrock finished level on points with group winner Peter Wright but qualified in second place ahead of Clemens thanks to a better head-to-head record.
Russian Anastasia Dobromyslova created history when she beat Vincent van der Voort at the 2009 Grand Slam but still finished bottom of her group.
Before Sherrock’s heroics, Holland’s Francis Hoenselaar (2009), American Stacy Bromberg (2010), Epping’s Tricia Wright (2010), Japan’s Mikuru Suzuki (2019, 2020) and Bolton’s Lisa Ashton (2019, 2020, 2021) had all tried but failed to win a match in the round robin format.
Canadian John Part, the three-time world darts champion, said: “I can’t imagine there has ever been a greater comeback inside of a group game in the history of this event. Especially having to win four consecutive legs.
“Clemens played very well, he really did, but it wasn’t good enough. That was magic that Fallon came up with.
“It was unbelievable stuff. Magical. That was incredible.
“Wayne Mardle was watching with me on the side and he said: ‘Some things are destiny.’ I have to agree. Wow.
“What a comeback, what heart. Nothing to lose. From the point of despair at 3-1 down, then all of a sudden it happens. Mensur was a victim on her debut at Ally Pally.
“She needs to enjoy what she did tonight. I am glad she has Wednesday off because how many times will she wake up tonight and pinch herself?”