Lisa Ashton claimed a shock victory the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay after surviving 11 match darts to defeat Fallon Sherrock in a final-leg thriller in Blackpool.
The fifth seed saw off Ireland’s Robyn Byrne in her quarter-final and then dumped out back-to-back champion Beau Greaves in the semi-final, before coming through a thrilling contest against Sherrock to win the event for the first time.
Ashton opened with an 85 finish in the opening leg and added a 15-dart break to grab early control of a tight contest, only for Sherrock to deliver a 13-dart hold to spark a run of three consecutive legs.
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Lisa Ashton and Fallon Sherrock give their reaction after the final of the Women’s World Matchplay.
Sherrock fell behind when Ashton followed a hold in the sixth leg by firing a 72 checkout to edge ahead against the throw, but responded by winning the next two legs to move 5-4 ahead in the best-of-11 encounter.
Ashton capitalised on eight missed darts from Sherrock to hold throw in the tenth and take the contest to a final-leg decider, where she took advantage of more poor finishing from the 2022 champion to seal victory with a 64 finish.
The stats behind Lisa Ashton’s final leg victory over Fallon Sherrock at the Women’s World Matchplay
“I’m so, so happy,” Ashton told Sky Sports. “I finally got there! I’m lost for words. I’ve finally done it. The crowd lifted me, kept me going. I never gave up. I’ve been up and down, but it finally clicked together.”
How Ashton beat Greaves and Sherrock to Blackpool title
Greaves fired a 96.12 average in a comfortable 4-1 victory over Kirsi Viinikainen in the tournament opener, where she opened with a 15-darter but dropped her only leg in the next after missing five darts at double against the throw.
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Lisa Ashton beat Beau Greaves in the semi-final of the Women’s World Matchplay.
The 21-year-old responded with a 13-dart hold, took out double one to seal a 15-dart break in the next and then nailed an 89 finish to wrap up victory, with Ashton her next opponent after the veteran claimed a 4-2 victory over Ireland’s Robyn Byrne.
The pre-tournament favourite won the opening leg of her semi-final against but fell 3-1 down when Ashton broke with a 60 finish and then capitalised on eight missed darts at double from Greaves to hold throw with a stunning 140 finish in the next.
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Lisa Ashton hit this big 140 finish during her semi-final against Beau Greaves at the Women’s World Matchplay
Greaves kept her hopes alive with a brilliant 13-darter in the seventh leg, only for Ashton to win the next with a 46 checkout to book a final against Sherrock and avoid a fourth consecutive semi-final exit.
Sherrock raced into a three-leg lead in her quarter-final but saw Hayter post an 85 finish to break as part of a three-leg burst, with Sherrock then surviving a match dart to sneak through with a 20-dart finish.
Lisa Ashton becomes the third different winner of the Women’s World Matchplay
Her semi-final also went the distance against Van Leuven, who brushed aside Lorraine Winstanley in straight legs in her quarter final, with Sherrock grabbing the initial advantage after winning a scrappy opening leg in 27 darts.
The next six legs went against the throw before Van Leuven levelled with a sensational 116 checkout, taking the contest to a final-leg decider, where both players missed match darts before Sherrock snatched victory on double one.
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Fallon Sherrock beat Noa-Lynn van Leuven in the semi-final of the Women’s World Matchplay in dramatic fashion
Sherrock outscored Ashton in the final, posting a 89.61 average compared to her opponent’s 85.49, but only converted five of her 22 attempts at double to leave herself finishing runner-up.
“To be fair I’m quite proud of myself,” Sherrock told Sky Sports. “I felt I played better here than I have in the last few months.”
All three of Sherrock’s matches went to last-leg deciders
Women’s World Matchplay results
Quarter-finals (best of seven legs)
Beau Greaves 4-1 Kirsi Viinikainen
Lisa Ashton 4-2 Robyn Byrne
Noa-Lynn van Leuven 4-0 Lorraine Winstanley
Fallon Sherrock 4-3 Gemma Hayter
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Fallon Sherrock took out this classy 91 finish during her quarter-final tie at the Women’s World Matchplay
Semi-finals (best of nine legs)
Beau Greaves 3-5 Lisa Ashton
Noa-Lynn van Leuven 4-5 Fallon Sherrock
Final (best of 11 legs)
Lisa Ashton 6-5 Fallon Sherrock
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