Luke Humphries sent Beau Greaves 'big time' message after major scare
It would take a brave punter to bet against Beau Greaves at the Women's World Matchplay. While the likes of Fallon Sherrock and Lisa Ashton will have something to say, Beau 'n' Arrow is the overwhelming favourite to make it three Matchplay crowns in a row on Sunday.
Greaves hasn't just been dominating fellow female players this year, she has been taking it to the men as well. After the disappointment of failing to land a PDC Tour card via Q-School in January, the Doncaster thrower has bounced back in devastating fashion. She tops the Women's Series by a whopping margin, leads the Development Tour and is fifth in the Challenge Tour, as well as making a smattering of appearances on the ProTour.
Greaves also made her mark at the UK Open, pushing world No. 1 Luke Humphries all the way on the main stage at Butlin's Minehead. At 7-5 up, she looked capable of dumping out the 2024 world champion, who fought back to win 10-7.
The standing ovation she received from the crowd and the respect she was afforded by Humphries were richly deserved for a player who is continually raising the bar in the women's game. Cool Hand was so impressed that he predicted it won't be long before she joins him and Luke Littler in the Premier League.
"She belongs in big-time darts. She is obviously a massive advocate of the ladies' game," said Humphries.
"The ladies' game has grown massively and it is because of her, but she belongs in this environment. She really did test me there and if we were in a Premier League game, she would have beat me. She just needs to give herself time.
"Maybe in five years, I think she'll be in the Premier League and I think she is probably a top-64 player in the world right now, but I don't want to put pressure on her.
"Let her keep doing what she's doing and the next few years she will find she has got the level that can match me, Luke [Littler] and Michael [van Gerwen], so she has a massive future ahead of her.
"She is still very young but if you can test me - and I didn't play too bad there - it shows she has got the big-time darts and over the next few years I am sure I will be sharing the stage with her a lot."
Humphries' plea for patience may fall on deaf ears amid the clamour for her to return to the PDC World Championship for the first time since the 2022/23 tournament, when she competed well before being eventually beaten by William O'Connor in the first round.
Barred from competing in both the WDF Women's World Championship and the PDC Worlds, Greaves has shunned Alexandra Palace for the Lakeside in the last two years. Her 2025 plans are unclear, but the smart money is on her joining the expanded 128-player field at Ally Pally. Having previously expressed a reluctance to play against the men on a regular basis, Greaves is now feeling much more at ease.
"I've been doing well on the Challenge Tour and the Development Tour, that's really brought my game on,' she said as she signed with Target Darts, who are also Littler's equipment suppliers.
"Being able to play on the ProTour has been really good for me too. I've had a couple of wins on there.
"I just want to keep progressing. I need to be a bit more consistent and just push myself more. Playing the better players does make me better."
On the big decision facing her, she insists it will be her choice, despite potential outside influences. She said: 'Obviously, I have that choice to make between Lakeside and Ally Pally. I'm not sure yet. I think I'll know halfway through the year.
'I have a great support system with my family and my manager. Ultimately, I listen to what I want to do, what I want to play in. It's a massive opportunity, more on the Ally Pally side, but it's about what I'm comfortable with.'
Top seed Greaves will face Finnish debutant Kirsi Viinikainen in the quarter-finals of the Women's Matchplay on Sunday afternoon.
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