BEAU GREAVES is going to cause “much trouble” on the dartboard when she turns professional in the New Year – and could end up being a Premier League wildcard pick.
That is the view of Raymond van Barneveld, the five-time world darts champion, who is “proud” of Greaves’ meteoric rise in the sport over the past few years.
Barney, 58, is keen to see how the best female thrower on the planet does in her third crack at the Grand Slam of Darts, which starts this weekend.
Doncaster’s three-time women’s world champion takes on former world No1 Michael van Gerwen on Saturday night in Wolverhampton.
She is also in the same group as two-time world champion Gary Anderson and German world No56 Niko Springer.
Fallon Sherrock famously beat two men at the 2019-20 PDC World Darts Championship but never got a Tour Card to face the men on a regular basis.
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Greaves, 21, has earned hers for 2026 and that regular exposure to higher competition could bring out the best in her own game.
Some men might quietly hate losing to a woman but Van Barneveld reckons that there is no shame in that, especially when you consider how good Greaves is and will be.
The Dutch legend lost to her in a ProTour event in August and then last month, reigning world champion Luke Littler was defeated by Greaves in the semi-finals of the World Youth Championship.
Van Barneveld said: “First of all, I’m so proud of her, of what she is doing.
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“All these tournaments where she was unbeaten in the Women’s Series.
“Wow. I played her recently, and you can say, ‘yeah, you have to play against a woman’.
“Yes. So what? I don’t look at it like that. For me, it’s just a game, and she beat me 6-4.
“She beat Luke Littler in the semis of the World Youth Championship. That says it all. In the last leg, an 11-dart finish. How great is that?
“And trust me, she’s going to cause really much trouble next year, because I know men, and they don’t like to play a woman.
“To me, that doesn’t matter. No one can say to me, ‘oh, Ray, do you feel ashamed because you lost to a woman?’ Well, try your luck, pal. Try to beat her then’.
“Show me, you know? She beat one guy, Dennie Olde Kalter, 6-0 with a 107 average just before playing me.”
The eight Premier League players are selected after the conclusion of the annual PDC World Darts Championship.
There is the chance for someone to make a late run into that, provided they were to make the semi-finals at Ally Pally at the minimum.
It might be too soon for Greaves but Van Barneveld would not be surprised if she gets there at some point – especially as the Prem is all about entertainment and getting bums on seats.
Van Barneveld added: “So yeah, you can say, a woman, but she’s quality. She does her country proud, and her family and herself proud.
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“Hopefully, if she does well in the World Championship, I can guarantee you she’ll get a Premier League ticket.”
GET all the Grand Slam of Darts news here including full schedule, how to watch it and how much cash is up for grabs.
