PREVIEW 2024 WDF Lakeside Women's World Championship: Can Beau Greaves go three in a row?
WDF
It's that time of year again as the 2024 WDF Lakeside Women's World Championship is upon us between November 29 - December 8 at the World Famous Country Club in Frimley Green. Beau Greaves will go for three in a row and our preview looks ahead at her chances and others of stopping her.
As well as Greaves, there is a supporting cast of top names involved including Lisa Ashton, Deta Hedman, Kirsty Hutchinson, Rhian O'Sullivan and Aileen de Graaf.
Beau for three in a row?
Snubbing Ally Pally once again in a pretty interesting move always due to the fact that it is often the other way round with the men's draw at Lakeside pillaged due to many of the names involved qualifying for both.
But Greaves has stayed loyal to the WDF and admitted herself that she isn't huge on playing the men. There will likely become a point when 'Beau N Arrow' decides to step away from WDF and either play Ally Pally or the full PDC Tour. But like everything else thus far in her career, it is very much on her terms with no pressure put on to shift over despite outside voices perhaps saying otherwise.
After achieving her dream in 2022, she has a chance to become three-time champion and whilst there are some good names involved, others have also withdrawn. Namely Fallon Sherrock and Noa-Lynn van Leuven. Both of whom qualified for Lakeside but snubbed invites to play in the PDC version.
Albeit in Sherrock's case, she has a former World finalist as a replacement in Kirsty Hutchinson who lost two years ago during the first edition of the tournament held under the WDF banner. Unlike the men's tournament too both winner and finalist return as Greaves defeated Aileen de Graaf last year.
With limited spots on offer for Ally Pally, it has enabled the likes of De Graaf and even Lisa Ashton to play Lakeside as well as commit to the Women's Series and other such tournaments in the PDC. Rhian O'Sullivan sits as De Graaf's major threat in her side of the draw. The seeds enter into the second round and face the winners of the opening round.
For instance Greaves faces either Amanda Loch or Kirsi Viinikainen. Desi Mercer or potentially the unseeded Anca Ziljstra likely await her in the Quarter-Finals. Deta Hedman is the seed also in her section but given her pretty poor record at Lakeside relative to her incredible career, it is an opportunity.
Hedman set for tough draw as trio of outsiders loom
Nicole Regnaud made a big impression last year on debut losing to Aileen de Graaf in an epic contest in the Last 16. The Kiwi known as 'The Renegade' continues to clean up in tournaments back home and comes in as perhaps an outside name to reach the latter stages.
As does the first round in Hedman's section with Hutchinson or Veronika Ihasz who has shown her quality on the Lakeside stage before awaiting the legend. The Hungarian hit the highest outshot in history against Beau Greaves for a female player in the World Championship of 164 before losing to Greaves and lost to Lorraine Winstanley last year.
De Graaf could face Lorraine Hyde or Mayumi Ouchi in the second round in the section below while a former semi-finalist returns in Irina Armstrong. Previously the Russian born German played in the first and only PDC edition in 2010 and last played in the BDO back in 2015. But she has won multiple tournaments in the past two years to qualify again. She lost to Beau Greaves at the recent World Masters in the semi-finals and is seventh seed.
She faces either five-time World Champion, Lisa Ashton who lost last year to De Graaf and could play her again or rising Scot, Sophie McKinlay.
Perhaps Rhian O'Sullivan though has the best route. The other seed in her part of the draw is Aletta Wajer with the Dutchwoman facing either Paula Murphy or Paula Jacklin. The former faces Lerena Rietbergen or Maud Jansson and while it starts simple, it gets tougher likely later on. But it will likely be that the Welshwoman has too much quality and surges through the rounds.
Format
Women
First round - best of 3 sets
Last 16 - best of 3 sets
Quarter-Finals - best of 3 sets
Semi-Finals - best of 5 sets
Final - best of 7 sets
Prize Money
In the ladies, a sum of £25,000 awaits the world champion. That amount also corresponds to the winner's cheque in 2023. The runner-up holds only 8,000 pounds, instead of 10,000 last year. The women's field consists of a total of 24 players. The players starting in the first round are guaranteed £750 in prize money.
A bone of contention as it has been cut from its previous amount albeit with some top names in particular in the women's draw.
Schedule
Friday 29th November
7pm
Men’s R1 - Brian Raman (BEL) v Corne Groeneveld (NED)
Men’s R1 - Scott Walters (ENG) v Craig Brown (NZL)
Men’s R1 - Francois Schweyen (BEL) v Michael Cassar (AUS)
Men’s R1 - Carl Wilkinson (ENG) v Jacob Taylor (CAN)
Saturday 30th November
1pm
Men’s R1 - Jordan Brooks (ENG) v Jun Matsuda (JPN)
Women’s R1 - Anca Zijlstra (NED) v Jitka Cisarova (CZE)
Women’s R1 - Wendy Harper (NZL) v Greta Tekauer (HUN)
Men’s R1 - Patrik Kovacs (HUN) v Bjorn Lejon (SWE)
7pm
Men’s R1 - Matthew Edgar (ENG) v Jarno Bottenberg (NED)
Women’s R1 - Amanda Loch (AUS) v Kirsi Viinikainen (FIN)
Men’s R2 - #1 Danny Porter (AUS) v Schweyen/Cassar
Women’s R1 - Kirsty Hutchinson (ENG) v Veronika Ihasz (HUN)
Men’s R2 - #16 Martyn Turner (ENG) v Raman/Groeneveld
Sunday 1st December
1pm
Men’s R1 - Sybren Gijbels (BEL) v Kevin Luke (USA)
Women’s R1 - Lorraine Hyde (SCO) v Mayumi Ouchi (JPN)
Men’s R1 - James Beeton (ENG) v Bradley Kirk (ENG)
Women’s R1 - Paula Murphy (USA) v Paula Jacklin (ENG)
Men’s R2 - #13 Edwin Torbjornsson (SWE) v Barilli/McGuirk
7pm
Men’s R1 - Aaron Turner (ENG) v Jeff Springer Jr (USA)
Women’s R1 - Lisa Ashton (ENG) v Sophie McKinlay (SCO)
Men’s R2 - #12 Cliff Prior (ENG) v Walters/Brown
Women’s R2 - #5 Nicole Regnaud (NZL) v Harper/Tekauer
Men’s R1 - Mike Gillet (WAL) v Ky Smith (AUS)
Monday 2nd December
1pm
Men’s R1 - Dennis Nilsson (SWE) v Howard Jones (AUS)
Women’s R1 - Lerena Rietbergen (NED) v Maud Jansson (SWE)
Men’s R1 - Laszlo Kadar (ROM) v Hannes Schnier (AUT)
Men’s R1 - Darren Johnson (ENG) v Reece Colley (ENG)
7pm
Men’s R1 - Moreno Blom (NED) v Paul Lim (SGP)
Women’s R2 - #4 Deta Hedman (ENG) v Hutchinson/Ihasz
Men’s R2 - #4 Brandon Weening (AUS) v Brooks/Matsuda
Men’s R2 - #5 Peter Machin (AUS) v Gillet/Smith
Tuesday 3rd December
1pm
Men’s R2 - #8 Benjamin Pratnemer (SLO) v Wilkinson/Taylor
Women’s R2 - #8 Desi Mercer (NZL) v Zijlstra/Cisarova
Men’s R2 - #9 Thomas Junghans (SWI) v Beeton/Kirk
Men’s R2 - #15 Ryan Hogarth (SCO) v Edgar/Bottenberg
7pm
Men’s R2 - #2 Jimmy van Schie (NED) v Kovacs/Lejon
Women’s R2 - #1 Beau Greaves (ENG) v Loch/Viinikainen
Men’s R2 - #7 Kai-Fan Leung (HKG) v Blom/Lim
Men’s R2 - #3 Neil Duff (NIR) v Johnson/Colley
Wednesday 4th December
1pm
Men’s R2 - #14 Barry Copeland (NIR) v Turner/Springer Jr
Women’s R2 - #6 Aletta Wajer (NED) v Murphy/Jacklin
Men’s R2 - #6 Liam Maendl-Lawrance (GER) v Gijbels/Luke
Men’s R2 - #11 Jason Brandon (USA) v Kadar/Schnier
7pm
Men’s R2 - #10 Gary Stone (SCO) v Nilsson/Jones
Women’s R2 - #3 Rhian O’Sullivan (WAL) v Rietbergen/Jansson
Men’s R3 - Porter/Schweyen/Cassar v M Turner/Raman/Groeneveld
Men’s R3 - Weening/Brooks/Matsuda v Torbjornsson/Barilli/McGuirk
Thursday 5th December
1pm
Men’s R3 - Pratnemer/Wilkinson/Taylor v Junghans/Beeton/Kirk
Boys QF - #3 Ralfs Laumanis (LAT) v Lex Paeshuyse (BEL)
Men’s R3 - Machin/Gillet/Smith v Prior/Walters/Brown
Women’s R2 - #2 Aileen de Graaf (NED) v Hyde/Ouchi
Men’s R3 - Maendl-Lawrance/Gijbels/Luke v Brandon/Kadar/Schnier
7pm
Men’s R3 - Duff/Johnson/Colley v Copeland/Turner/Springer Jr
Boys QF - #2 Kendji Steinbach (NED) v Archie Self (ENG)
Men’s R3 - Van Schie/Kovacs/Lejon v Hogarth/Edgar/Bottenberg
Women’s R2 - #7 Irina Armstrong (GER) v Ashton/McKinlay
Men’s R3 - Leung/Blom/Lim v Stone/Nilsson/Jones
Friday 6th December
1pm
Boys’ QF - #4 Balazs Szotak (HUN) v Florian Preis (GER)
Women’s QF - TBC
Men’s QF - TBC
Women’s QF - TBC
Men’s QF - TBC
7pm
Boys’ QF - #1 Jenson Walker (ENG) v Mason Teese (ENG)
Women’s QF - TBC
Men’s QF - TBC
Women’s QF - TBC
Men’s QF - TBC
Saturday 7th December
2pm (Order TBC)
Girls’ SF - #1 Paige Pauling (ENG) v Jentl Fransen (BEL)
Boys’ SF - Steinbach/Self v Laumanis/Paeshuyse
Women’s SF
Men’s SF
7pm (Order TBC)
Girls’ SF - #2 Sophie McKinlay (SCO) v Aurora Fochesato (ITA)
Boys’ SF - Walker/Teese v Szotak/Preis
Women’s SF
Men’s SF
Sunday 8th December
5pm
Girls’ Final
Boys’ Final
Women’s Final
Men’s Final
THREE DAYS TO GO!
— WDF Darts (@DartsWDF) November 26, 2024
Not long now until the 2024 WDF World Championships get underway at the iconic Lakeside!
Tickets: https://t.co/8eOLoNERGY pic.twitter.com/1nyn2Vpbdx
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- I think the PDC's choice is too conservative. EIther or both of Damon Heta and Mike de Dekker should have been in, at the expense of Aspinall and possibly Price. I guess the PDC's reasoning is that they do not want too much turnover from year to year, and so having already rejected Smith and Wright, they have kept Price and Aspinall, but I guess those two are "on probation".
UndartedWaters06-01-2025 - Two from the three of Price, Aspinall and Dobey should have been excluded, De Decker and Edhouse should have been in. I would have offered a place to Beau Greaves though i doubt she would have accepted it and probably not really ready for it confidence wise.Mysstree06-01-2025
- Tennis has a protected ranking system for injuries and Golf has a system that as a Major winner you get invited back of a number of years regardless of your ranking. Barry Hearn gave Stephen Hendry a wildcard for some tournaments though he still had to enter at the qualification stage. Doubt the PDC would give Burnett an exemption as he has never won a PDC Major, same would apply to Steve Beaton. It’s a slippery slope to abandoning a meritocratic system, if the PDC did do so they could then (for example) award a place to Fallon Sherrock even though she has yet to qualify at any level for a tour card.Mysstree06-01-2025
- I'd have said the same about Ady Lewis,but the PDC is indeed a law unto itself,so sorry bud,get your leg kicking and do it for the good lads!!rick6705-01-2025
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