Beau Greaves ditches negativity and targets inspirational Alexandra Palace run

Beau Greaves has changed her attitude to darts’ biggest show and now feels she can go deep at Alexandra Palace.

The 21-year-old from Doncaster is the top female player in the world, a three-time women’s world champion, but just last year was doubting whether she – or any woman – could ever really challenge at the PDC World Darts Championship.

‘I just don’t think we will ever be good enough to play against the likes of Luke Humphries, Michael Van Gerwen or Luke Littler,’ she said last year. ‘You’re facing a losing battle before you’ve even thrown a dart.

‘I don’t think any lady will ever go to Ally Pally and win that. You are literally being silly if you think that’s possible.’

Since then she has turned in a string of impressive performances against top male players, notably beating world number one Luke Littler in the semi-finals of the PDC World Youth Championship in October.

Now she has changed her tune and feels the sky is the limit, telling Metro of her previous comments: ‘At the time when I said that, I was quite negative. I didn’t want to be the person I am now, to go and play against the men. Obviously I’ve kind of proved myself wrong.

‘My attitude has changed towards it. I started playing the men more and then the next minute I was up there and I was performing really well.’

Greaves has a tough first round draw at Alexandra Palace against former Grand Prix champion and Ally Pally quarter-finalist Daryl Gurney, but she knows her best stuff is capable of beating anyone.

‘If I was to play my proper game, which I haven’t really done on stage yet, then I think I could do really well,’ she said. ‘There’s no reason why I can’t. I’ve got my tour card now, I’m professional, I’ve got the game to do it.

‘It’s just the timing and taking my chances. That’s what I’ve really lacked on the past few times I’ve been on tele. I’m going to have to do that at Ally Pally if I am going to get through.

‘But I’m trying not to put pressure on myself as well. I’m just trying to enjoy it, just play and see how the game goes, but I’m there to perform and try and win. I’m looking forward to it.’

While Beau n Arrow hopes to take the pressure off before she takes on Gurney, she does welcome the position of being a flagbearer for women in darts.

Fallon Sherrock held that position previously, although has said that it was not anything she ever looked for, but just came her way after winning two games at the 2020 World Championship.

‘I’ve never been someone who wanted to be the star of women’s darts,’ Sherrock told Online Darts. ‘I’d rather stay under the radar. Let Beau take the attention. It takes pressure off me.’

Greaves is getting used to the attention and is happy to accept it, hoping to be an inspiration for girls to follow her into darts.

‘I’m quite happy to be that for the women,’ she told Metro. ‘I want to be the person who can try and improve the game, try and get more girls into it, get more women playing, that’s what I want. I’m happy for her to give that to me. I think I’m in the position to do that now.

‘I like it. I want to inspire the next generation to come through and if this is the way I’ve got to do it then it’s exciting.’

While Greaves is already showing that she compete with and beat top male players, she does believe that there is a difference between men and women, especially on the biggest stages.

‘It’s different playing men to women. I think we think differently and we play more timidly,’ she said.

Explaining the interesting use of ‘timidly’ to describe female players, she said: ‘I suppose we just all look a bit shy, in a way. We’re maybe just not as comfortable as the men on the stage. That’s sort of what I mean. We’re a bit more hoping to win than we’re going to win.

‘We’re all just different to the men. We just speak differently, we talk about the game differently and we just have different mindsets.

‘I don’t know what it is exactly what separates the men and women, men just seem to have a different level of confidence. But I think that’s where the ladies can learn from that. Try and be a bit more confident, try and be a bit more out there and talk confidently.’

Greaves now plays in glasses and it is an indication of her star power that she is sponsored by huge brand Specsavers.

‘I was in shock,’ she said of her link-up with the company. ‘I thought it’s amazing. I never thought having bad eyesight when I was younger would get me into this position. It just gives you so much confidence and knowing that they’re there.

‘With their help I’ve got my eyes sorted, because obviously I rely on my glasses, so it’s really important.

‘It’s great. It’s great going forward to have them on my shirt and behind me.’

Beau Greaves has partnered with Specsavers to highlight the fundamental role eyecare plays in precision sports, like darts, and beyond. As someone who advocates the importance of making your eye health a priority, Beau is passionate about sharing this message and will be wearing Specsavers’ glasses at the World Championship.

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