"I don't think the marquee sponsors she's getting will want her to go to the Lakeside" - Could Beau Greaves' decision on Ally Pally return be out of her hands?

Beau Greaves is in unstoppable form on the PDC Women’s Series, and her dominance is sparking fresh debate about where her future lies. The 21-year-old has now racked up 32 consecutive victories and has claimed six straight tournament titles, underlining her position as the clear No. 1 in the standings.

With qualification for both the Grand Slam of Darts and the PDC World Darts Championship all but secured, the big question is no longer whether Greaves can compete at the highest level — but whether she will.

Greaves has previously expressed a preference for the WDF Women’s World Championship, citing its all-female field as a more natural and comfortable setting. However, current regulations prevent players from appearing at both the WDF and PDC World Championships in the same season. As such, a major career-defining decision is looming.

While she has so far consistently chosen the WDF path — winning three consecutive world titles at Lakeside — recent performances suggest her outlook may be changing. In the past few months, she has made successful appearances on both the Development Tour and the Challenge Tour, competing regularly against male opponents and more than holding her own.

Former PDC Tour Card holder turned expert analyst Matthew Edgar believes Greaves is ready to take the next step. "I think this the time now that we'll see Beau Greaves take a turn," begins Edgar on the latest episode of Sky Sports' Love the Darts podcast. "There's only so long you can dominate this Women's Series for, before you've then got to move forward."

"I've always been one of those people that have said that Beau needs to develop at a certain pace, but the time is now," Edgar continues. "She's played some Pro Tours. She hasn't played them all which has been interesting. But I'm looking ahead now and I'm thinking: 'This is the year she plays at the Ally Pally'."

To back up his claim, Edgar has an interesting theory. "I do a lot of work in the background of darts, and I know some of the deals and relationships she's got now with sponsors. I'd not be surprised, with the money they're now paying, if it was agreed that she'll have to go to Ally Pally. Because I don't think the kind of marquee sponsors she's getting will want her to go to the Lakeside," he explains. "Yes, it's nice to say she's won another world title in the Ladies' system, but I think they'll want her at Ally Pally. Especially off the back of that game with Luke Humphries at the UK Open. That confirmed that she can compete with these players."

Pundit and fellow player Laura Turner has also noticed a shift in Greaves’ attitude, both on and off the oche. "I feel like she's confident. She's actually now believing that everything that we've said and seen for so long," says the Sky Sports commentator. "This weekend she just had a real air of confidence about her which is totally understandable."

"If you listen to some of the interviews that she has done more recently, I think she knows she's ready for that next step," Turner concludes. "I think she's now thinking: 'If I get a Tour Card, I'll take it.' I agree with what Matt was saying there, this now the time."