"This is a real bonus" says Aileen de Graaf in maiden PDC Women's Series after 'strange' final against friend Anca Ziljstra
PDCSunday, 11 August 2024 at 13:00
Aileen de Graaf after five straight final losses finally sealed a maiden PDC Women's Series title. She defeated Anca Zijlstra in a 5-2 win during Event 14 in Niedernhausen.
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De Graaf had gotten through the toughest part prior to the final. After wins over Sandy Wolf (4-1), Laura Patton (4-0) and Tanja Klueners (4-0), the Dutchwoman faced Beau Greaves in the last sixteen.
The two-time world champion was defeated 4-3, however, before De Graaf also dealt with Noa-Lynn van Leuven (5-2) and Lisa Ashton (5-2). Zijlstra became the opponent in the final after beating Mikuru Suzuki (4-3) and Lorraine Winstanley (5-4), among others. In the final, De Graaf quickly gained a comfortable lead by taking the first three legs. Zijlstra narrowed the deficit to 4-2 before De Graaf decided the match with a 23-darter.
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It was Ziljstra that was the problem for De Graaf. They are known to be good friends and took a stand previously in quitting the Dutch national team due to the inclusion of Noa-Lynn van Leuven a joint decision. Beating Greaves en route instead of the final was a strange time for the Dutchwoman.
"It's strange. Normally I play Beau or Lisa and that's totally different. I want to win, Anca it's more I like her and it's difficult to play her. It was a strange final really," said De Graaf post match.
"Nerves are taking control but we both stand for the same thing and it's a difficult game really."
Beating Greaves en route, she sees it also as a major bonus. It is not up there in her titles but is more just an addition to her resume.
"Beau is an incredible amazing player. If you get the chance to win against her, finally she missed some doubles. Normally she doesn't. I was really glad to get the chance to win. And next game Noa then Lisa, they are amazing players."
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"I don't know which titles I won. It's just. a title. Of course there a lot of good players but yeah I'm a little bit normal about that."
"This is really a bonus, this is a nice win against a lot of good players so I'm thankful for that. But you never know, darts is a strange game.
Samuel GillChief Content Officer
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of DartsNews.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy across professional darts coverage. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces, playing a central role in the development and daily operation of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has extensive experience in darts media and has been closely involved in coverage of the professional darts circuit for several years. Within the UK darts community, he is a recognised figure known for his consistent editorial output and ongoing reporting on major tournaments and developments across the PDC calendar.
In his current role, Samuel works closely with editors and writers to ensure content meets clear journalistic standards, with a focus on source verification, editorial consistency, and timely updates when new, confirmed information becomes available.
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