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Fallon Sherrock shines at PDC Women’s Series events in Wigan

Fallon Sherrock starred at the PDC Women’s Series over the weekend as she claimed three titles at the Robin Park Tennis Centre in Wigan.

Sherrock’s victories saw her leapfrog Mikuru Sukuzi in the Women’s Series Order of Merit and qualify for the Grand Slam of Darts ahead of the two-time BDO women’s world champion.

Both players will also appear at the biggest competition in darts, the PDC World Championships at the Alexandra Palace.

On her qualification for the World Championships, Sherrock said: “I heard earlier that I’d qualified for it and I was like ‘yes, finally’ because of all the hard work. It’s a sigh of relief.”

Sherrock – who started the weekend in third in the Women’s Order of Merit – stormed to the first title on Saturday.

The Queen of the Palace did not drop a leg in either the semi-final or final, whitewashing Finland’s Kirsi Viinikainen and Sweden’s Vicky Pruim respectively, to win Event 21 comprehensively.

Event 22 proved to be just as successful for Sherrock, but this time the 29-year-old faced much tougher tests.

In the last 16, the inaugural Women’s Matchplay champion survived two match darts against her rival Suzuki to go through to the next round.

Sherrock then faced current Women’s Matchplay champion Beau Greaves in the semi finals, initially taking a 4-1 lead. Yet ‘Beau ‘n’ Arrow’ fought back to tie up the game and set up a last-leg shoot out.

Sherrock managed to halt Greaves’ momentum, however, breaking the 19-year-old’s throw and making it through to the final against Ireland’s Aoife McCormack.

The Milton Keynes star defeated McCormack 5-0 in the final, securing her second title of the weekend.

It is the first time Sherrock has won three titles in succession at the PDC Women’s Series.

She said: “It means the absolute world because it’s so hard to just win two on one day.”

The run did not stop on Sunday for the Queen of the Palace, with work still to do to secure her qualification for this year’s Grand Slam of Darts.

After Suzuki suffered an early exit in the first round to Deta Hedman, the former Grand Slam quarter finalist Sherrock needed to reach the semi finals of Event 23 to assure her qualification for the event.

Surviving a match dart against Vicky Prium in the last 32, Sherrock triumphed against Beau Greaves in the quarter finals and Angela Kirkwood in the semi finals.

The final saw her take on Wales’ Rhian O’Sullivan, who she defeated 5-3, to win her third title of the weekend and her fourth title in a row.

Sherrock’s form late on in 2023 saw her reach £17,200 earned from the Women’s Series, comfortably claiming second place in the Order of Merit.

Natalie Gilbert became just the tenth player to have won a tournament since the PDC Women’s Series inception in 2020 in the final event of the season.

The 40-year-old came through some close encounters, including surviving a match dart against Kirsty Hutchinson in a tough semi-final clash.

After taking an early 2-0 lead in the final, Gilbert went on to defeat Lorraine Winstanley 5-3 and seal her first Women’s Series title.

Post match, Gilbert said: “I’m lost for words. It’s an amazing feeling. I’m shaking. I can’t believe it. I’m proud of myself.

“My darting journey started after a stroke, after being wheelchair-bound. I played darts to help with my balance.

“Never in a million years did I think I would be competing in events like these, never mind winning an event like this.”

Feature image by Anastase Maragos.

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