Fallon Sherrock cherishes sporting rivalry with Beau Greaves: “In the past if I had a rivalry they would just ignore me”
Fallon Sherrock, the 30-year-old darts trailblazer known as the “Queen of the First,” has expressed deep appreciation for her sporting rivalry with 21-year-old prodigy Beau Greaves, highlighting their mutual respect and competitive fire. In a May 2025 interview with Online Darts, Sherrock said, “I actually enjoy the friendly rivalry. We’re sat upstairs, we’re talking and stuff like that. In the past, if I’ve had a rivalry with someone, they would just ignore me,” contrasting their camaraderie with colder past rivalries. This dynamic, marked by fierce on-stage battles and off-stage banter, has elevated women’s darts, with their “nip and tuck” matches showcasing resilience and skill.
Rivalry’s Impact and Competitive History
Sherrock and Greaves, two of darts’ biggest female stars, have pushed the sport’s boundaries, challenging male-dominated arenas. Sherrock’s historic 2019 PDC World Championship wins against Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic set a precedent, while Greaves’ dominance, including three consecutive WDF world titles and a 10-7 loss to world No. 1 Luke Humphries at the 2025 UK Open, has cemented her as a phenomenon. Their rivalry is defined by close contests, with Sherrock noting, “There’s never one of us really folding, it’s always nip and tuck,” making their matches a “good watch.”
Recent clashes underscore this. In February 2025, Sherrock defeated Greaves 5-3 in the PDC Women’s Series Event 2 final in Leicester, capitalizing on Greaves’ below-par performance with averages in the high 70s. However, Greaves has often had the upper hand, winning the 2024 Women’s World Matchplay final 6-3 with a 98.74 average. Their Norwich exhibition in May 2025 saw Greaves edge Sherrock 4-2, both averaging over 90. Since 2023, Sherrock has won three Women’s Series titles against Greaves, while Greaves claimed multiple victories, including a 5-1 rout in Event 14 of 2023 with a 104.81 average.
Sherrock values how their rivalry elevates the women’s game, telling ITV Sport, “I’ve been saying for ages I need someone like Beau to come through because Beau’s got the ability to play like these men do,” easing the pressure she faced as the sole female star post-2019. Greaves, in 2022, praised Sherrock’s 2019 run as inspirational but emphasized forging her own path, saying, “What Fallon did was brilliant… but I want to do my own thing.”
Past Rivalries and Challenges
Sherrock’s comment about past rivals ignoring her reflects earlier struggles. In 2022, she described a “hostile environment” on the women’s tour, citing an incident during a Women’s Series final against Greaves in Wigan, where partisan crowd support for Greaves’ 148 checkout unsettled her, leading to a 5-3 loss. She told PA News, “I feel what me and Lisa Ashton have done for the sport, I don’t think they realise how much we have helped,” lamenting being cheered against. This contrasts sharply with her “friendly rivalry” with Greaves, where mutual respect prevails.
Greaves’ consistency sets her apart, with Sherrock noting on Club 501, “Not as consistent, no… Beau’s always been that good, and now she’s had the consistency… you can see why she’s number one.” Greaves’ 52-match winning streak in 2022 and two Women’s World Matchplay titles over Sherrock highlight her dominance.
Broader Context and Parallels
Their rivalry mirrors other sports dynamics. Like Luke Littler’s grounded Mercedes A-Class purchase after £1.8M earnings, Sherrock and Greaves focus on performance over flash. Emma Raducanu’s “constant pressure” against Iga Swiatek at the French Open 2025, parallels Sherrock’s past burden as women’s darts’ face, now shared with Greaves. Novak Djokovic’s roof dispute and Alexander Zverev’s £275K watch bet at Roland Garros, reflect the intensity Sherrock and Greaves bring, while Jack Grealish’s Manchester City saga, echoes their need to navigate expectations.
Conclusion
Fallon Sherrock cherishes her “fierce but friendly” rivalry with Beau Greaves, a stark contrast to past rivalries where opponents ignored her, as she told Online Darts in May 2025. Their nip-and-tuck battles, like Sherrock’s 5-3 Women’s Series win and Greaves’ 6-3 Matchplay triumph, elevate women’s darts. Sherrock’s support for Greaves’ potential, and Greaves’ respect for Sherrock’s 2019 legacy, underscore a bond driving the sport forward, akin to Littler’s and Raducanu’s resilience.
