Women's World Matchplay darts: Beau Greaves lifts her first Blackpool title

Greaves dispatched Japan’s Mikuru Suzuki 6-1 in the final to triumph on her Blackpool debut, relinquishing just four legs throughout the event in claiming the £10,000 top prize.

The 19-year-old has shattered a host of records on the PDC Women’s Series circuit during the last year – and she reaffirmed her status as the premier player in women’s darts on the Fylde coast.

Greaves and Suzuki had arrived in Blackpool as the top two seeds and they renewed their rivalry on one of the sport’s most iconic stages, in a fitting finale to the second staging of the £25,000 tournament.

Suzuki was punished for a bizarre miscount in the opening leg and Greaves capitalised to seize the early initiative, crashing in five perfect darts to break throw in leg two.

The 19-year-old continued her barrage of big scoring by firing in a second 180 en route to a 3-0 lead before exploiting further misses from Suzuki in leg four to continue the procession.

Greaves missed the bull for a spectacular 161 checkout before moving to the cusp of victory, although Suzuki avoided a whitewash by surviving two match darts in leg six.

However, the Doncaster darter soon quashed any hopes of a miraculous fightback, defying back-to-back 140s from Suzuki to secure victory with a clinical 74 combination on tops.

“I wasn’t at my best but I got over the line, so I’m really happy,” reflected Greaves, who has now sealed her qualification for November’s Grand Slam of Darts and the 2023/24 World Darts Championship.

“I didn’t think I was going to win this with the way I was playing but, after the year I’ve had and all the tournaments I’ve won, I’m so grateful to be stood here holding this trophy.

“I’m so excited to be going to the Grand Slam and the World Championship but I need to practice more! I need to get more comfortable on the big stage.

“It means everything (to win this title). I’ve got so much respect for all of the ladies that have played up here and I’m looking forward to another great year.”

Greaves had kicked off her campaign with a 4-0 victory over Dutch debutant Noa-Lynn van Leuven.

She then recovered from a sluggish start to defeat Ireland’s Robyn Byrne 5-3 in an entertaining semi-final, producing a brilliant three-leg burst from 3-2 down to confirm her progress.

The teenage star followed up a 14-dart leveller in leg six with a crucial 101 checkout to break Byrne before firing in an unconventional 13-dart hold via double one to complete the comeback.

Suzuki, the two-time Lakeside women’s champion, fell just short in her bid for glory despite claiming the scalps of last year’s runner-up, Aileen de Graaf (4-2), and Lisa Ashton (5-3) on her Blackpool bow.

Earlier in the afternoon, reigning champion Fallon Sherrock was beaten by Ashton following a last-leg shootout in their quarter-final.

Byrne also won through a deciding-leg tie against Rhian O’Sullivan in the last eight.