In 2019, Sherrock became the first female player to win a match, and subsequently, two consecutive matches, at the PDC World Championships, first by beating Ted Evetts 3–2 in the first round, and then Mensur Suljović 3–1 in the second round, before eventually losing 2–4 to Chris Dobey in the third round.[5] The event saw her earn the nickname "Queen of the Palace" from the name of the venue, the Alexandra Palace.[6]
During the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts, Sherrock became the first woman to reach the last 16 of a mixed gender major darts tournament, after she beat Gabriel Clemens 5–3 in her final group stage match. She then went on to beat Mensur Suljović 10–5 in the last 16, to reach the quarter-finals and become the first woman in darts history to do so. She was beaten in the quarter-finals by Peter Wright 13–16. In 2022, Sherrock won the inaugural Women's World Matchplay.[7]
Darts career
Early career
Sherrock was born in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.[8][9] She began playing darts at the county youth level at the age of 17;[10] her mother Sue and her father Steve had played the game on a recreational basis.[9][10] She played for the Bedford Darts Organisation, and represented the England Youth team in the girls' singles division at the 2011 WDF Europe Cup Youth tournament.[9]
Sherrock was the Girls World Masters winner in 2012,[11] along with the Women's Jersey Open,[12] before following it up with success in the Women's British Classic in 2013.[13] After finishing her A-level examinations, she opted against studying forensic science at university to focus on playing darts.[8]
She appeared at the BDO World Championship for the first time in January 2014, where she made the Quarter Final.[11] She beat Rilana Erades in round one by 2 sets to 0,[14] and was just eliminated in the quarter-finals by reigning champion Anastasia Dobromyslova.[11]
Sherrock improved on her debut performance by reaching the final of the 2015 BDO Ladies World Championship after she beat Dobromyslova 2–1 in the semi-finals at Lakeside, setting a world championship record by hitting five 180s in the semi-final.[15] Sherrock lost 3–1 to Lisa Ashton in the final, but still impressed and hit six 180s in what was her first World Championship final.[16]
Sherrock competed for a tour card at the 2020 PDC Q School, but was unable to secure one. On 1 February 2020, Sherrock won the Rileys Wolverhampton qualifier for the 2020 UK Open, meaning she would make her debut there. She lost to Kyle McKinstry from Northern Ireland 6–1 in the first round.
Sherrock has faced hateful comments online after her PDC matches of 2019, but said she learned how to use the feeling to perform better; "If I'm feeling a bit slouchy, I'll look at some of the comments and I'll be like: 'OK, now I need to prove you wrong.''[24]
In September 2021, Sherrock reached the final of the 2021 Nordic Darts Masters. In the first round she defeated Niels Heinsøe 6–1. She then had a walkover in her quarter-final match against Gerwyn Price, who withdrew due to an elbow injury. In the semi-finals she beat world n°5 Dimitri Van den Bergh 11–10, after initially trailing 9–3. She eventually lost to Michael van Gerwen 11–7 in the final (although having led 6–3). Sherrock is the only woman in the history of the PDC to have reached the final of a TV tournament.[25] Just a week off her run to the Nordic Masters final, Sherrock competed in the first 2021 Women's Series events. Though she lost to tour card holder Lisa Ashton in the last 16 of the first event, she won the next two events with 5–2 and 5–3 victories over Corrine Hammond and Deta Hedman respectively.[26] The second day saw Sherrock losing to Lisa Ashton in the finals of both events 4 and 5, before whitewashing the 4-time World Champion in the final of the sixth event. This let Sherrock maintain her place at the top of the ranking table and secure her debut at the 2021 Grand Slam of Darts.[27]
2022
In October 2021, Sherrock qualified for the 2022 World Championship, after ensuring a top-two finish in the PDC Women's Series.[28] She lost 3–2 to Steve Beaton in the first round.[29]
Sherrock appeared to have missed out on qualification for the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship after finishing third in the PDC Women's Series. However, the PDC subsequently announced that Sherrock had qualified for the event by virtue of winning the 2022 Women's World Matchplay, a decision which attracted criticism from some darts fans due to the mid-season rule change.[32] At the World Championship, Sherrock was drawn to face Ricky Evans in the first round. After winning the opening set, she went on to lose 3–1.[33]
In January 2023 Sherrock entered Q-School. On the last day of the first stage of Q-School Sherrock qualified for stage two by defeating Terry Winfield, Aaron Wood, Lee Davies, Colin Osborne and Steven Beasley. However, a 6–3 final day loss to Robert Collins meant she failed to win a tour card.
Later in 2023, during her 5–3 victory over Marco Verhofstad, Sherrock became the first woman to hit a nine dart finish at a PDC event.[34]
On 29 July 2023, Sherrock produced a 107 average during the quarter finals of the 2023 PDC Women's Series. The previous record for the highest 3 dart average was 101, which Sherrock previously held.
On 25 August 2023, Sherrock made history again, as she hit a televised nine-dart finish against Adam Lipscombe, during the Modus Super Series, thus becoming the first ever woman to hit a televised 9 darter.[35]
Sherrock entered PDC UK Q-School for the fifth time in her career.[37] She managed to qualify for the final stage during the second day by defeating David Davies, Ryan Hogarth, Adrian Gray, Paul Redfern, and Brett Claydon after previously losing on the opening day to Kai Fan Leung.[38][39][40] During the final stage, Sherrock lost her opening round to Harry Gregory on the first day;[41][42] she gained a point before losing to eventual winner Robert Grundy on the second day;[43][44] on day three, she lost in the opening round again to Justin Hood;[45][46] and on the final day, she was eliminated during the opening round by Ashley Coleman 6–3 to end her run.[47][48][49]
Sherrock has a son, born in 2014.[58] Her twin sister Felicia also plays darts and the pair represented England Youth at the WDF Europe Cup Youth in 2011.[9] In 2017, Sherrock had treatment for a kidney problem. This caused her face to swell up, for which she received online abuse.[59] The condition made her teetotal and she is required to drink water regularly to keep her kidneys cleansed.[10] Sherrock is currently in a relationship with PDC pro tour player Cameron Menzies.
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