Fallon Sherrock defeated reigning world champion Luke Littler in a one-leg darts face-off on Friday to claim a staggering £501,000 prize. The special, Beat Luke Littler, was broadcast live globally on Netflix from Manchester Central.
Fallon Sherrock (Credits: BBC Sport)
Sherrock Beats Luke Littler in One-Leg Showdown
The format saw a host of amateur players take on the world number one in one-leg shootouts. Players could not be members of the PDC Tour — meaning Sherrock, who became the first female player to beat a male opponent at the PDC World Championship on her way to the last 32 in December 2019, was eligible to compete.
After Littler had defeated 14 amateurs, some as young as 14, he finally met his match in the 32-year-old Sherrock, a 21-time winner on the Women’s PDC Series. She was closest to the bull to throw first, hit a 180 — only the third maximum of the night — then took out double 20 to clinch the prize.
‘It’s Insane’ — Sherrock Celebrates in Front of Son Rory
“It’s insane, I can’t put it into words of what it means, especially having Rory here — it’s his first time at anything and he has seen me win,” said Sherrock, whose son Rory was among the crowd. “It’s a great moment and I will memorise this forever. Give me an opportunity and I will take it every time. I’m really proud of myself, I rise to the occasion.”
Nineteen-year-old Littler, who has won the PDC World Championship in both the past two events, was gracious in defeat: “Brilliant, that’s what one person had to do — win the bull and go out in 15 [darts] and that’s what she did, world class.”
The packed Manchester crowd was in boisterous mood, many in fancy dress, but this was darts with a difference: 25,000 applicants entered the competition. The first stage required players to check out 501 in 24 darts or less, with successful throwers then facing a three-person interview panel including 16-time world champion Phil Taylor, PDC president Barry Hearn and pundit Laura Turner.
Twenty players were due to play — sixteen selected outright, while the eight most experienced were paired off, with Netflix viewers voting on which one should compete. Sherrock beat Germany’s Jarod Becker with 75% of the vote to earn her shot at Littler.
For context on the money involved: Sherrock won £25,000 for reaching round three of the PDC World Championship at Alexandra Palace seven years ago, after beating Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic before losing to Chris Dobey — the achievement that earned her the nickname ‘Queen of the Palace’.
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Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
