Fallon Sherrock: Darts star happy to be playing Steve Beaton, targets Gerwyn Price and Premier League spot

Fallon Sherrock is feeling confident ahead of her first-round clash with Steve Beaton; 'The Queen of the Palace' has her sights set on facing Gerwyn Price; she also discusses the potential of a Women's World Championship and her dreams of playing in the Premier League

Fallon Sherrock says she is happy to be playing Steve Beaton in the first round of the PDC World Darts Championship and is targeting a clash with defending champion and world No 1 Gerwyn Price, as well as a spot in next year's Premier League.

The 27-year-old made history in 2019 by becoming the first woman to win a match at Alexandra Palace on her way to the last 32, as her life changed forever.

Sherrock did not qualify for the Worlds last year but has enjoyed a fine 2021, reaching the final of the Nordic Masters, where she lost to Michael van Gerwen, and the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts, giving world No 2 Peter Wright a run for his money.

Now the Buckinghamshire thrower wants a crack at Welshman Price should they both progress to the third round.

"I did this two years ago. I had an ambition that I wanted to play Mensur (Suljovic) so I was like, 'I really want to beat Ted (Evetts)', so I beat Ted and then I played Mensur and then I was like, 'I really want to try play Glen Durrant' because I think he was in my draw, but obviously Chris Dobey took me out before I had the chance," recalled Sherrock, ahead of this year's tournament.

"This year, I'm like, 'I've got Gerwyn in my draw' and I really want to play the world champion because I've had the privilege of playing the BDO world champion this year (Wayne Warren), so I'd love to play the PDC world champion to see what run for his money I can give him.

"The practising has been going absolutely fine. It's going how I expected it to go, so that's a good thing. There's no differences to it.

"I practise what I normally do. I practise around my doubles, scoring and finishing. I'm obviously trying to play more set play rather than legs because it's a different format."

Sherrock will have to beat 'The Bronzed Adonis' Beaton and Belgium's Kim Huybrechts before a potential showdown with Price, but she is phlegmatic about all the noise surrounding her chances.

"I'm really excited to play Steve. He's a legend in the game and he's so iconic," Sherrock said. "It's also another person I get to play who is a big name. I love just rising to the occasion, producing my game and playing these good players that everyone knows.

"I'm happy playing Steve Beaton. I'd be happy whoever I'd be playing because I know on my day how I can compete with these players. I can hit hundred averages - the same as them. So I'm always going to go into every game confident I'm going to win.

"My belief is if I'm going into any game thinking, 'I'm not going to win', then I'm not going to succeed, so you need to be kind of positive, so every game I go into, I'm thinking, 'I'm going to win'.

"Even if I'm hitting a 90 average and they're hitting 110 or something like that, I'm thinking, 'I still have a chance here'. There will not be a point where I won't give up. I will go into the competition confident."

PDC chairman Eddie Hearn believes a Women's World Darts Championship is more than a realistic ambition.

The thought has got Sherrock dreaming of one day becoming a world champion in her own right.

She said: "I've always said I want to be a world champion whether it be a women's world championship or a mixed event. If they do a women's world championship, that would be great.

"Obviously, I still want to play with the men as well. I love playing against the men, so either way, it's good, but if that happens I just hope we can still play with the men because I do feel we should play with them even if we have our own championship.

"I'd really like to carry on playing at Alexandra Palace."

Hearn also said 'The Queen of the Palace' has every chance of earning a spot in next year's Premier League, with Sherrock admitting she would bite his hand off should she be given the opportunity.

"I'd never turn it down if I was offered it and I actually do feel that I'm ready because I know people sit there and say it either makes or breaks a player, but I believe it only breaks a person if you think too much of it," Sherrock said.

"Everyone tries so hard to get into it, but it's not a ranking event, it's just like a big exhibition anyway so you literally have the privilege of playing these players, so you should just go and enjoy it.

"I feel like I'm playing to the same standard. I know I can hit the hundred averages like they can, so I would just go and enjoy it and I'd take it for what it is. I wouldn't overthink it or anything like that, so I'd probably have my best performances.

"The last time I played in it I drew with Glen (Durrant) so I was close and I'd love the opportunity to play again."

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