🔗 Share this article

The darts sensation pulled off a thrilling final-leg showdown to beat Luke Littler 6-5 in the semi-finals of the PDC world youth championship held in the English town.

Match Recap

The three-time WDF women’s world champion, who has secured a PDC Tour card for the 2026-27 season, went ahead early at 2-1 in the semi-final. Littler fought back with three consecutive legs, following a recent victory in the major tournament final where he overcame competitor Luke Humphries 6-1 in the earlier event.

The talented athlete, a double PDC Women’s World Matchplay champion, mounted a comeback to level the match at 4-4 and again at 5-5, forcing a decisive final leg. Greaves sealed the win with an 80 checkout as Littler suffered a rare defeat despite a scoring average of over 107, while Greaves averaged 105.

Other Semi-Final

Reigning titleholder Gian van Veen advanced from the other side of the elimination bracket, beating his semifinal opponent 6-4. The final is set for 23 November at the Minehead venue, which will simultaneously stage the 2025 Players Championship Finals.

Player’s Packed Calendar

Rather than resting after what he called a “brutal” double-start event in the prior location, the young star was back in action at the Wigan venue on the next day as part of the 128-strong field.

The 18-year-old, who has claimed victory in the British Open and World Matchplay this season, easily progressed from the initial round-robin stage, where players were split into multiple groups and the top two moved on to the knockout rounds.

Path to the Semis

Littler overcame Tom Garfield 6-2 with an scoring rate of 102, then dispatched the Irish contender 6-1 to enter the round of 16. His next rival, sitting fourth on the development circuit, was ahead 5-3 before Littler won the last three games to advance.

His last-eight match against another opponent was less dramatic, as Littler built on a fast start to claim a decisive win. Yet, a much-anticipated repeat of the prior year’s final with the defending champion was denied by Greaves’ exceptional performance, making her the pioneering female to reach the world youth championship final.

Her Path to Victory

Greaves won her round-robin pool with three wins from three games, then swept Coby Jones-Swanson in her first elimination game. The 21-year-old beat the Dutch player 6-2 in the last 16, but faced a two-leg deficit against Tyler Thorpe, winning four straight legs to move forward.

During the last eight, she resisted a short comeback from the German competitor to secure a 6-2 victory and arrange the blockbuster clash against the world champion. Both players might face off once more at the upcoming Grand Slam event, which Greaves has earned a spot in by topping the PDC Women’s Series Order of Merit this year.

Sportsmanship Display

Littler posted online to congratulate his opponent on her victory and offer best wishes for the final. In a social media update, Littler said: “I had two 10-dart legs, missed double 12 for a nine and still fell short. Well done to Beau. Good luck in Minehead. Some talent.”