What's happened
Greaves has become the first woman to win a European Tour event, defeating Daryl Gurney 6-4 in Prague. She advances to the second round to face Luke Humphries as the circuit marks a historic milestone.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- This victory marks a turning point for women in professional darts on the European Tour, potentially expanding opportunities and visibility.
- The match showed Greaves’ composure under pressure, with decisive finishes of 14, 13, and 11 darts sealing the win.
- Her next opponent, Luke Humphries, is a world number two and represents a significant test that could further elevate her profile.
- The performance might influence future seeding and media coverage, potentially encouraging more young players to pursue darts at a high level.
How we got here
Greaves, the Doncaster-born player, has already broken records this year by winning a ranking title and hitting a nine-dart finish. Her victory in Prague adds to a string of ground-breaking achievements as women begin to appear more prominently on the European Tour.
Our analysis
BBC Business reports on Greaves’ win in Prague, noting the historic first for a woman on the European Tour; Independent coverage details her prior historic milestones and her rising profile in the sport.
Go deeper
- Will Greaves’ next match set a new record for female participation in euro tour events?
- How will this milestone influence sponsorship for women in darts?
- Who are the other rising female stars to watch on the European circuit?
More on these topics
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Beau Greaves - English darts player
Beau Greaves is an English professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation events and previously competed in World Darts Federation and British Darts Organisation events.
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Luke Humphries - English darts player
Luke Humphries is an English professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation events. He won the 2019 PDC World Youth Championship.
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Daryl Gurney - Northern Irish darts player
Daryl Gurney is a Northern Irish professional darts player who plays in Professional Darts Corporation events.
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Gian van Veen - Dutch darts player
Pieter Gerard "Gian" van Veen (born 23 April 2002) is a Dutch professional darts player who competes in Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) events, where he is ranked world number three. He won the 2025 European Championship and is the reigning back-to-back PDC world youth champion. He was also the runner-up at the 2026 PDC World Championship. In youth darts, Van Veen won the 2024 and 2025 PDC World Youth Championships, as well as nine PDC Development Tours, including six titles in 2023 to top the 2023 Development Tour rankings. His first deep run at a major tournament came at the 2023 European Championship, where he reached the semi-finals. In 2025, he won his first PDC ranking title at Players Championship 6 and his first PDC major title at the 2025 European Championship, defeating Luke Humphries in the final on both occasions. The following year, having lost his opening match in his two prior World Championship appearances, Van Veen reached the 2026 PDC World Championship final, losing to Luke Littler.
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Michael van Gerwen - Dutch darts player
Michael van Gerwen is a Dutch professional darts player. He is currently ranked number one in the world and is a three-time PDC World Champion, having won the title in 2014, 2017, and 2019. Van Gerwen began playing darts at the age of 13.
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Prague - Capital of the Czech Republic
Prague is the capital and largest city in the Czech Republic, the 13th largest city in the European Union and the historical capital of Bohemia.
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Luke Littler - Darts player
Luke Littler is an English professional darts player who currently plays in the Professional Darts Corporation events. He is the current PDC World Youth Champion.