Beau Greaves secured a thrilling last-leg decider to overcome the reigning world champion 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship held in Wigan.
Game Summary
Greaves, who obtained a professional tour spot for the upcoming seasons, took an early lead at 2-1 in the semi-final. Her opponent responded with three consecutive legs, following a recent victory in the major tournament final where he overcame competitor his main rival 6-1 in the earlier event.
Doncaster’s Greaves, a two-time PDC Women’s World Matchplay winner, staged a recovery to tie the game at 4-4 and once more at 5-5, forcing a last-leg shootout. Greaves clinched victory with an impressive finish as Littler suffered a rare defeat despite a match average of 107.4, while Greaves averaged 105 points.
Van Veen’s Path
The defending champion Van Veen progressed from the other side of the knockout draw, defeating his semifinal opponent 6-4. The championship match is scheduled for 23 November at Butlin’s Minehead Resort, which will also host the season-ending Players Championship event.
Player’s Packed Calendar
Instead of taking a break after what he described as a “brutal” double-start event in the prior location, the young star was back in action at the Robin Park Leisure Centre on the next day as part of the large player pool.
The 18-year-old, who has also won the UK Open and major Matchplay event this season, had no trouble advancing from the initial round-robin stage, where competitors were divided into multiple groups and the leading pair moved on to the elimination stage.
Path to the Semis
Littler defeated Tom Garfield 6-2 with an scoring rate of 102, then beat Ireland’s Ronan McDonagh 6-1 to reach the last 16. His next rival, ranked fourth on the development circuit, led 5-3 before Littler won the final three legs to advance.
His last-eight match against another opponent was more straightforward, as he capitalized on an early lead to claim a 6-1 victory. Yet, a expected rematch of the 2023 final with the defending champion was denied by her outstanding display, making her the first woman to make the world youth championship final.
Greaves’ Journey
She won her round-robin pool with three wins from three matches, then swept Coby Jones-Swanson in her initial knockout round. The 21-year-old defeated the Dutch player 6-2 in the last 16, but faced a two-leg deficit against her next opponent, taking four consecutive games to advance.
During the last eight, she resisted a short comeback from the German competitor to secure a 6-2 victory and set up the blockbuster clash against the world champion. The pair could meet again at November’s Grand Slam of Darts, which she has qualified for by leading the PDC Women’s Series Order of Merit this season.
Sportsmanship Display
Littler took to social media to praise Greaves on her victory and offer best wishes for the championship match. In a social media update, Littler stated: “I threw two 10-darters, missed double 12 for a nine and still fell short. Fair play to Greaves. All the best in Minehead. Some talent.”
