HETA HOLDS NERVE TO KO BEAU

BEAU GREAVES agonisingly missed a match dart as both oche queens suffered Grand Slam heartache. 

The Doncaster ace lost out 5-4 in a deciding leg to Damon Heta in Wolverhampton.

Meanwhile Fallon Sherrock was also sent crashing with a 5-2 defeat to Rob Cross. 

Greaves, 19, appeared to be in control at 3-1 in front but the Aussie delivered three powerhouse finishes of 164, 130 and 105 to book his place in the last 16. 

Heta said: “It was tough, I had the media, crowd and everyone talking about this match.

“That 164 was my wife in my head telling me that ‘you used to hit that once’. That’s what got me hitting that one. 

“The other ton-plus checkouts. Oh my days if I don’t hit them I’m gone.”

Sherrock won her opening leg against the 2018 World Champion but never looked likely to deliver another headline-grabbing display. 

Voltage took control from that point with a professional performance and admitted he was delighted to keep the crowd quiet. 

He added: “I thought after Fallon won the first leg it could get twitchy. But tonight the doubles went in. 

“Fallon is a fantastic player, she can be explosive. Maybe a bigger crowd tonight could have maybe made a bit of a different story, she could have got up for it. 

“I just want to say well done to her because the legs she won, she played really well. 

“I wanted to come out and play my game like an away match in the Champions League. Start well and keep the crowd quiet and that probably worked.

“Fallon and Beau are doing an amazing job for women’s darts and the sport in general. 

“Trust me they will be back because both are huge talents and will continue to win matches on the big stage. They are top quality.”

PETER WRIGHT crashed out of the Grand Slam after yet another patchy performance.

The Scot went down 5-1 to Stephen Bunting on a disappointing night.

Wright has had an awful 2023 and his poor form reared its ugly head again. He even changed his darts after just 21 thrown but that didn’t change his fortunes. 

Snakebite took the lead with double three but was then hit by three ton-plus finishes of 101, 103 and 107 by Bunting.

Trailing 4-1, Wright kept battling with a quality 116 checkout and then 61. But Bunting wrapped it up and sent Snakey home with double 16. 

Images by Taylor Lanning.