"I never thought I’d win one of these, never ever": Emotional Beau Greaves breaks down in tears after making history winning Players Championship 11

Beau Greaves admitted she was in disbelief after becoming the first woman to win a PDC Pro Tour title, describing the moment as one of the proudest achievements of her career.

The 22-year-old produced a stunning run to claim Players Championship 11, defeating three former world champions along the way, including Michael Smith in the final, but even she struggled to process what she had achieved.

She opened her day by seeing off Aden Kirk 6-4 before sealing victory over Thomas Lovely. Then it was victory over Jeffrey Sparidaans and an in-form Karel Sedlacek to reach a third consecutive Players Championship Quarter-Final.

She then produced a 102.56 average to edge past Rob Cross who averaged almost 106 in defeat. Then it was a sensational thrashing of Gary Anderson 7-1 with a 105 average before then setting up the showdown with Smith where she came from 2-0 down to rattle off five legs on the spin before going onto seal it.

“I don’t know, when I was 5-6 up, I started to think about it and it caught up to me,” Greaves said. “I don’t know whether I was thinking about being the first woman to do it, but I honestly can’t believe it. I can’t believe I took that out at the end.

“I’ve had a great year, but I never thought I’d win one of these, never ever.”

Despite her growing list of titles across other circuits, Greaves insisted this milestone had always felt out of reach. “No, not at all,” she said, when asked if she believed she could win a Pro Tour event. “I had a good run last week and I said to my lad sitting at the table that I didn’t even feel like I’d played that well, but I was still getting results.

“Today I played really well. I don’t even know how to describe it, I’m just so happy. I can’t describe the way I feel.

“To win on the Development Tour is so hard, and now to win on this, it’s unbelievable. I feel so proud of myself because I was struggling at the start of the year, really struggling.”

Greaves’ triumph came after several demanding days of competition, having also competed on the Development Tour earlier in the weekend, including hitting a nine-darter against Charlie Manby.

“I played Friday and Saturday on the Development Tour. I had some decent games, I hit a nine-darter against Charlie Manby, but I also had some bad games,” she explained.

“I took Sunday off to feel fresh, and I never thought I’d come in today and win this. I know I’ve got the ability and the talent, but to beat the players I’ve beaten, like Gary Anderson, I couldn’t believe it.

“Even beating Michael, I don’t know what’s happening. I’m beating players I’ve watched growing up. It’s just amazing.

“I feel really proud of myself to win one of these. I never thought I would. I don’t know why I’m crying so much, but I’m just really happy and really proud. Hopefully I can kick on and keep doing it.”

One of the defining moments of her run came in a dramatic victory over Rob Cross, where Greaves held her nerve under sustained pressure.

“He missed it a few times,” she said of Cross’ attempts at the bullseye. “Every time I looked back, he was in the treble.

“It’s funny because Rob beat me 6-0 the last time we played, so when I got a leg, I thought maybe. But I knew I was playing well and putting pressure on him.

“My finishing has been really good, but that 142 checkout, I’m in disbelief. I don’t usually do that. To do it in that moment is just amazing.”

Greaves believes her mindset played a key role in her success, highlighting the importance of confidence and enjoyment throughout the day.

“I’ve just really enjoyed every game I’ve played today. I’ve played well and enjoyed every moment. Maybe this is just the start, I don’t know,” she said.

“I’ve done really well on other tours, but to win one of these is unbelievable. I’m still in shock, I don’t think it’ll sink in until tomorrow.

“I know I’ve got the talent, but believing in yourself and having confidence is a big thing. Today I had that confidence, and I was enjoying it, that’s probably been the main factor.

“Honestly, aside from winning Lakeside, this is probably my best achievement ever. Hopefully I can kick on and do well on TV as well.”

For Greaves, already a prolific winner across multiple formats, this latest success could mark the beginning of an even bigger breakthrough on the sport’s biggest stage.

For now, though, the history-maker is simply trying to take it all in.