PREVIEW: Final weekend of the PDC Women’s Series 2024

Saturday, 19 October 2024 at 09:52

The PDC Women’s Series has become one of the most important platforms for female darts players in the world, offering opportunities for top players to qualify for major televised tournaments like the Mr. Vegas Grand Slam of Darts and the prestigious Paddy Power World Darts Championship.

As the 2024 season heads into its final weekend, set to take place at Leicester’s Mattioli Arena from October 19-20, the stakes are high. Events 21-24 will determine who secures the last remaining spots for these major events, where they will be given a chance to compete on Darts’ biggest stages.

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The format of the PDC Women’s Series

Launched in 2022, the PDC Women’s Series provides a dedicated circuit for female players to compete throughout the year. The format features 24 individual tournaments, held across several weekends, with players accumulating points in each event to rank on the Women’s Series Order of Merit. This ranking system determines which players qualify for the major televised events.

Each event follows a knockout format, where players compete in short-format matches to progress through the rounds. These events are critical as they offer direct qualification opportunities for tournaments like the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Darts Championship, two of the sport’s blue ribboned events.

With the final weekend of the series looming, attention turns to the top contenders who are vying for those coveted qualification spots.

Beau Greaves: An unstoppable force?

One name that stands head and shoulders above the rest in the women’s game is Beau Greaves. At just 20 years old, the Doncaster native has taken the darts world by storm. “Beau n’ Arrow” has already secured her place in the World Darts Championship, having won the Women’s World Matchplay earlier this year, and has been the undisputed number 1 for some time now. Greaves has also guaranteed herself the top spot on the Women’s Series Order of Merit, thanks to her seven title victories in 2024, which further cements her dominance in the circuit.

Greaves’ rise to the top has been meteoric. She is a two-time WDF World Champion, having won the title in both 2022 and 2023, and her performances in the PDC Women’s Series over the last two years have confirmed her as the leading force in the sport. She combines power scoring with exceptional finishing, making her the player to beat at every event she enters. Despite her young age, Greaves has proven time and again that she can handle the pressure and consistently deliver high-quality performances. Her dominance has been so complete that she is seen as the benchmark for other players on the circuit, and she’ll be hard to beat this weekend.

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The Battle for Qualification Spots

With Greaves having already qualified for the World Darts Championship, the focus shifts to who will also earn a place at Alexandra Palace and the Grand Slam of Darts. Currently, Noa-Lynn van Leuven and Fallon Sherrock are the frontrunners in the race for the remaining qualification spots.

Noa-Lynn van Leuven, the 28-year-old from the Netherlands, has had a standout year on the Women’s Series circuit. She is currently second in the Order of Merit and is in pole position to secure her place at the Grand Slam of Darts. Van Leuven’s consistent performances have been the hallmark of her season, and she has emerged as one of the top challengers to Greaves’ dominance.

Van Leuven's journey through the ranks of women's darts has been impressive. Although she hasn’t yet reached the same heights as some of her rivals, her ability to stay composed in high-pressure situations has earned her plenty of respect. With a place in the Grand Slam of Darts on the line, she will be looking to solidify her position in Leicester this weekend.

Fallon Sherrock, perhaps the most well-known female darts player globally, is another contender fighting for a spot in the World Darts Championship. Sherrock shot to fame in 2020 when she became the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Championship, eventually reaching the third round before being defeated by Chris Dobey. This historic run earned her the nickname "Queen of the Palace."

However, Sherrock admits that she struggles with complacency when competing in the Women's Series. As she explained in an interview with Online Darts, "When I'm on the Women's Series, I 100% get complacent. Unless I'm playing Beau Greaves, where I know exactly what I have to do, I need a 90+ average if I'm going to beat her! I just find that complacency is what lets me down because I know I've got the game it just doesn't show up all the time." Despite these challenges, Sherrock remains one of the most talented and popular players in the women’s game, and her fight for a spot at Alexandra Palace will be a major storyline this weekend.

While Greaves, van Leuven, and Sherrock are the major names to watch, the Women’s Series has also seen other standout performances in 2024. Among them is Robyn Byrne, who claimed her second PDC Women’s Series title at Event 20 by defeating Lorraine Winstanley. Byrne’s road to victory was hard-earned, as she defeated Lisa Ashton, Fallon Sherrock, and Winstanley in succession to seal her latest title.

Byrne has been steadily improving over the last couple of years, and her performances in Wigan last month showcased her ability to compete with the best. She had already won her first Women’s Series title last year, and with another one under her belt, Byrne is proving to be a force to be reckoned with.

Gemma Hayter is another player who has impressed this year. She claimed her second title of the season at Event 19, adding to her growing list of achievements in the Women’s Series. Hayter’s victory further highlighted the depth of talent in the women’s game, as she continues to push the established names like Greaves and Sherrock.

What’s at stake this weekend?

As the Women’s Series heads into its final weekend, there are still two qualification spots available for the World Darts Championship. With four events remaining, players will have one last opportunity to secure their place on the sport’s biggest stage. Event 21 and Event 22 will take place on Saturday, October 19, while Event 23 and Event 24 will be held on Sunday, October 20.

In addition to World Championship qualification, a spot in the Grand Slam of Darts is also up for grabs, with van Leuven currently in the best position to claim it. However, with the competitive nature of the series, nothing is guaranteed, and any one of the top players could make a final push this weekend.

The PDC Women’s Series has grown significantly since its inception, providing a vital platform for female players to compete at the highest level. As the 2024 season draws to a close, the excitement surrounding the final weekend is building. With top players like Beau Greaves, Noa-Lynn van Leuven, Fallon Sherrock, Robyn Byrne, and others all fighting for their place in the sport’s biggest events, the action in Leicester promises to be intense.

Greaves may have already cemented her status as the top player in women’s darts, but for many others, this weekend represents the final chance to make their mark on the 2024 season and secure a coveted spot at the World Darts Championship and the Grand Slam of Darts.