“I think women’s darts gets judged so harshly” - Gemma Hayter calls for more chances on the PDC stage

Gemma Hayter had played on a stage like the Winter Gardens only three times by her own count when she took Beau Greaves to a deciding leg in the Women’s World Matchplay semi-finals. The WDF World Masters champion believes women need more chances to get used to playing in front of the cameras, especially when so much is expected of them in the few opportunities they get.

Speaking on MODUS Super Series’ Tungsten Talk, Hayter looked back on a run that took her from a dip in form to a title in Las Vegas and her first win in Blackpool. She returned to the PDC Women’s Series in 2024, winning two titles that year, but says the World Masters did plenty to restore her confidence. “I’ve had a good couple of weeks, so I’m quite thankful for that. I think it’s done my confidence a lot of good. I felt like there was a dip in form, but going to Vegas and winning that was brilliant.”

Hayter pushed Fallon Sherrock close on her Women’s World Matchplay debut in 2025. Her aim for 2026 was to get back to the Winter Gardens and go one better. “That was the main aim, being back on the stage and getting a win this time, which thankfully I managed to do. That was the big aim going into this year.”

After making her PDC World Championship debut at Alexandra Palace in December, Hayter found that the pressure she put on herself began to affect her game. “I think I actually put too much pressure on myself and my darts kind of suffered a bit because of that. I remember there was a Women’s Week here and I kind of got into my own head and struggled. Hopefully I’ve come through that now.”

A conversation with Glen Durrant at the Women’s Series helped put those doubts in perspective. “I had it in my head that my throw was wrong and everything like that,” she said. “But I actually spoke to Glen Durrant at the Women’s Series and he was like, ‘What are you moaning about? It looks fine.’”

Hayter liked her chances in Las Vegas, even if she knew better than to bank on a title. “I wouldn’t say I thought I was going to win because obviously we all know darts doesn’t go as planned,” she said. “But yeah, I definitely fancied my chances.”

She won all four of her group games 4-0, but the clean sweep felt less straightforward from the oche. “Yeah, 16-0. It did go quite well. There were plenty of opportunities where somebody could have taken a leg, but luckily for me they missed the double. So I wouldn’t say it was plain sailing, but it was all right in the end.”

Eve Watson gave Hayter her toughest match of the tournament, taking their quarter-final to a deciding leg before Hayter won 5-4. “I think it was surviving the scare against Eve in the quarter-finals,” she said of the moment she began to fancy herself for the title. “That was a weird game for me because I felt in control and my scoring was good, but you can’t really give Eve a chance because she’s going to take it. It went four-all, but I was always confident that I was going to overcome that.”

Hayter went on to beat Aurora Fochesato 6-3 in the final. Winning the World Masters brought back memories of going to watch it as a teenager. “It was quite surreal, really. I remember trudging all the way to Bridlington when I was about 14 years old to watch the finals, because obviously you’d be there for the whole event. So yeah, it was quite mad.”

Asked whether the absence of some of the leading names in women’s darts took anything away from the win, Hayter was unequivocal. “No, I don’t think it matters. Nobody’s going to look back at it and say, ‘Oh, who wasn’t there?’ They’re going to realise who was there and, ultimately, you’re going to know it’s me because my name’s going to be there.”

Hayter has played more WDF events alongside the PDC Women’s Series since her return. “I just want to support as many tours as I can,” she said. “Obviously, I want the women’s game to grow and I think entries are a big part of that. I just want to play as much as I can, really, and the WDF kind of fit in perfectly.”

Hayter beat Vicky Pruim 5-4 for her first Women’s World Matchplay win, then took Greaves the distance in the semi-finals. “When I took the 83 out to go four-all, I thought, ‘How has it got to 4-4?’” she said. “I didn’t feel like I was playing very well, but I was taking my chances. Then I just started off without hitting a treble 20 for about nine darts.”

Greaves won the decider, but Hayter still sees room to improve on what she has shown on television. “I think that’s only the third time I’ve played on Sky or on a big stage like that. Hopefully, the more I get used to it, the more comfortable I feel. I think I’ve averaged about 79 or 80 in all my appearances, which I’ll take, but I know I can play better than that.”

Hayter agreed when Paul Nicholson asked whether the Women’s World Matchplay felt like an unofficial PDC Women’s World Championship. “Yeah, I think that’s fair to say. It’s the only major that we’ve got,” she said. “We are obviously grateful to have that opportunity, but I feel like a lot of the women are put under pressure straight away because we know that we have to perform. I think women’s darts gets judged so harshly.”

Nicholson raised the possibility of a women’s World Grand Prix or a separate PDC Women’s World Championship. Laura Turner suggested the UK Open as another option, with the boards for a multi-board event already in place. She pointed to the Development Tour and Challenge Tour as examples of how regular opportunities help players grow more comfortable when they step up.

Hayter also wants to see more players entering the PDC Women’s Series. “We need to hit that 128 on the Women’s Series,” she said. “Hopefully, that is coming. The numbers kind of creep up and then they disappear again, but I’m hopeful we’ll get there.”

Travel costs are one obstacle to growing the international field. “There was a strong contingent from Japan coming over to the Women’s Series, but I think it’s just so expensive for people to come over.” Hayter was encouraged by what she had seen of the next generation, though. “I think the JDC are doing brilliant stuff, and the final between Rebecca Allen and Macy Gibbons was brilliant.”

Hayter’s World Masters win secured a place at Lakeside, and she later qualified for Alexandra Palace through the PDC Women’s Series. Having the choice was something she had wanted from the start of the year. “I didn’t want to come to the end of the year and be twiddling my thumbs watching one or the other on the TV,” she said. “So yeah, I wanted the choice and I’ve got it.”

Hayter has since given up her Lakeside place and will make her second PDC World Championship appearance at Alexandra Palace.