Gemma Hayter muses possibility of PDC Women's World Championship: "Now would probably be the perfect time to do it"

The past twelve months has seen women’s darts explode with popularity, aided by the meteoric rise of Beau Greaves. Whilst we did not see the 21 year old sensation at Alexandra Palace last year.

She instead opted to defend her Lakeside title, ‘Beau and Arrow’ dominated the PDC Women’s Series last year and currently tops both the Challenge Tour and Development Tour Orders of Merit, with multiple title wins already this year in both series. T

his allowed her to make her Players Championship debut, becoming only the third female player to do so, at the start of this season, which included a fantastic victory over Josh Rock in the second event.

On top of this, she has had an incredible run at her UK Open debut recently, beating Stefan Bellmont, Rhys Griffin and Mickey Mansell before eventually falling in a spirited 10-7 defeat to World Number 1 Luke Humphries in the last 64.

Another player on the rise in the world of women’s darts is that of Gemma Hayter. The 31 year old shot to fame with two Women’s Series titles in 2024, eventually finishing 6th overall in the Order of Merit, on £7,700. So far in 2025, she has shown impressive signs on both the MODUS Super Series Women’s Week and in the four Women's Series events so far. She currently sits 4th in the Order of Merit having reached the final in two events this year so far, and is currently on track to make a Women’s World Matchplay debut in July.

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Hayter recently spoke to Josh Green of Tungsten Tales to discuss a range of topics from her rise to the top of the women’s game and Beau Greaves’ Pro Tour exploits to what the future holds for the women’s game. Here is a recap of all the must-hear quotes from the interview!

Hayter has only started playing competitive darts again in the last two years and has already established herself as one of the most prominent throwers in the women’s game. She discussed her comeback to the sport and her return to the elite level in the sport. "It's funny actually, the same year I played for England was the same year I gave it up, so about nine years ago now and there was obviously the Littler hype from the World Championships before [2024 World Championships]. I also used to play darts with Luke Humphries so I think it was both of the Lukes. I normally say the Luke Littler effect but when you see somebody you played youth darts with win the Worlds, that's obviously going to inspire something inside of you’

‘‘So I started playing again in January 2024, just throwing in the house and then I noticed I was playing quite well. Then I said to my girlfriend: ‘These are going better than I expected.’ and then I played the Women’s Series in March and then my very first one I got to the semi-final.’’

‘‘I set myself a target of winning £400 across a whole weekend and then in my first event I got to the semi-finals and I had won £500. It was definitely above my expectations.’’

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Hayter also discussed the growth of women’s darts and how the game now has more opportunities for women. “There’s definitely more there for women now which is another main attraction. I remember seeing the Women’s Series and then I saw the WADC (Women’s Amateur Darts Corporation) Tour and they are the two prominent ones I play on now.’’

‘‘It’s changed a lot, even with the equipment. I used the same old darts I used, the same flights, the same stems, the same flight protectors, the same rings and I remember my friend had these flights that they just pop on the stems and I was like: ‘What the hell are they?’.

There was a huge equipment change, every board had an iPad, when I used to go to the BDO events it was just a piece of paper you just tore off.”

Beau Greaves (pictured) has been the standard bearer for PDC Women's Darts.

Hayter then discussed where her game is at the moment and also shared her goal of a Women’s World Matchplay debut in July. “I think it's more of a consistency thing at the minute. Some games I’ll average in the high-80s but then there are some games where I’ll average in the low-70s or even the high-60s and that’s a major factor at the minute. I know I’ve got the game there but it’s just obviously doing it all the time.”

“That was always my goal [qualifying for the Women’s World Matchplay]. I nearly achieved it last year, I think I was only £150 off of it in the end which I think surprised everyone but that was definitely the aim going into this year and I feel like I’m nearly there.”

A recent point of discussion surrounding the women’s game is that of the possibility of a PDC Women’s World Championship. Currently, the two premier women’s events are the PDC Women’s World Matchplay and the WDF Women’s World Championship. Hayter weighed in on which one is of the higher prestige, before discussing the possibility of a PDC Women’s World Championship. “That’s a good question. I don't know how to compare them, the Women’s Matchplay is the newer one, the WDF is very iconic and obviously doing the WDF is the only way for a woman to be World Champion but I think the Matchplay definitely gets you more exposure and that’s good in some ways but in others, I’m not sure.”

“I’d like to think so [that there will be a PDC Women’s World Championship], I don’t think it will be anytime soon unfortunately but you never know. I think now would probably be the perfect time to do it if they were because the ladies are continually getting better and there’s players from Portugal, Brazil, Finland, all over the place now.”

Finally, Hayter discussed Greaves’ belief that women will not be able to compete with men regularly, before taking some time to praise some of the greats of the female game. “I’m probably thinking the same as Beau. I think it’s very hard for a woman to compete regularly with a man. You saw it with inconsistencies over the weekend, Beau has that 76 average with Fallon [Sherrock] in the final and then an 89 average and beat me so I think consistency is there for everyone. Beau is probably the most consistent woman but then on the flip side if I get an opportunity to play against the men then I will take that opportunity to play against them”

“Beau and Fallon and Lisa [Ashton] have done that for years. I think it’s maybe a shame that it’s taken so long for people to take notice but they’ve done the same for years. It’s huge for the ladies game.”

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