Beau Greaves sails into 2024 Women's World Matchplay final despite some late double trouble

Defending champion Beau Greaves is into the final of the Women's World Matchplay for the second year in a row after defeating Mikuru Suzuki 5-2 in a repeat of last year's final at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.

After wins over Katie Sheldon and Noa-Lynn van Leuven respectively in their earlier quarter-finals, Greaves and Suzuki renewed their Women's World Matchplay rivalry after the former took a comfortable 6-1 in the final twelve months ago.

Although Greaves had the throw in the opening leg, it was Suzuki who had started the stronger and looked set to break the throw. After six missed darts at double however, the Japanese blew the opportunity, with Greaves punishing on double 10 to hold. That punishment was dealt two-fold by Greaves too as she then comfortably broke the Suzuki throw in leg 2.

Beginning to hit her stride, Greaves raced through leg 3 to get a third successive leg. Finally, Suzuki got herself on the board in leg 4, stopping the early rot but the Japanese could not muster any form of pressure on the women's world champion's throw in the following leg, with Greaves comfortably moving one away from the win. After two match darts came and went for the Englishwoman in leg 6, Suzuki took out a game saving 90 checkout on double 18. As Greaves pushed her average above the 90 mark though, more match darts came in leg 7. Finally, with her 7th match dart, Greaves got herself over the line and into the final.