Deta Hedman ended the longest title drought in PDC Women’s Series history Sunday, claiming her first victory since 2018. The 66-year-old beat Kirsi Viinikainen 5-3 in the final of Event Eleven at the Mattioli Arena in Modena, Italy. Hedman’s win means she’s now in strong contention for a spot at July’s Women’s World Matchplay, a tournament she’s never reached before in its current format. She’ll need to keep this form up—the field is stacked with younger, hungry players like Beau Greaves and Lisa Ashton, who still dominate headlines despite Hedman’s late surge. Sunday’s double-header followed a Saturday where Greaves had looked unstoppable, but she crashed out in the quarter-finals to Rhian O’Sullivan, a player she’d beaten comfortably just weeks earlier. That loss opened the door for Hedman, who’s spent years grinding at the lower tiers of darts, waiting for a moment like this. It finally arrived on a night where the crowd buzzed for her every visit to the oche. Hedman didn’t just win—she dominated. After a shaky start against Chris Savvery, she tightened up, beating Lisa Ashton and Rhian O’Sullivan back-to-back to set up the final. Viinikainen, a plucky Finn with a knack for comebacks, pushed her hard. She erased a 2-0 deficit to tie it 3-3, but Hedman dug in, breaking in leg seven and holding at 15 darts to seal it. “I’m so pleased to get over the winning line,” Hedman told reporters post-match. “This weekend I’ve played really well. I’ve been consistent for a change. Me and Kirsi had been sitting together all weekend—she never lays down, but neither do I.” Viinikainen never does either. She clawed back three times Sunday, including a 102 checkout to force a deciding leg, but Hedman’s ice-cold finishing in the decider proved too much. It’s a reminder that experience still counts in a sport where youth often gets the headlines. Vicky Pruim, a 38-year-old Swede, made sure the day belonged to the over-30s too. Pruim, playing in her second Women’s Series event ever, crushed Gemma Hayter 5-1 in the final of Event Twelve. She’d dropped just one set all day, whitewashing Grace Ferridge and Angela Kirkwood before taking out Paige Pauling and Lauryn Salter with ease. Pruim’s path to the final was less dramatic than Hedman’s but just as decisive—no opponent pushed her beyond 3-1. It’s her first PDC title at any level, and she joins an exclusive club of 16 Women’s Series winners since the format launched in 2020. The double-header capped a weekend where the Women’s Series proved it’s no longer just a stepping stone for the big names. Hedman’s win is the biggest story—she’s been a mainstay in British darts for decades, but never on a stage like this since 2018. Pruim’s breakthrough signals that the field’s widening fast. Greaves still looks the player to beat on her day, but the tour’s getting deeper. For fans, that means more competitive nights ahead. If Hedman can carry this momentum into July, expect her name in bold letters when the Women’s World Matchplay draw drops. For Pruim, it’s a chance to see if this was beginner’s luck or the start of something bigger. Either way, the Women’s Series just got a lot more interesting.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: Sky Sports
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 22:00 UTC
  • Category: Sports
  • Topics: #sky-sports · #football · #premier-league · #sports · #greaves · #hedman

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

Deta Hedman volta a brilhar no dardo com vitória histórica após seis anos de espera, mostrando que a experiência e a determinação ainda são armas poderosas no esporte. Em uma final emocionante no Mattioli Arena, a experiente jogadora britânica superou a finlandesa Kirsi Viinikainen por 5 a 3, conquistando seu primeiro título na PDC Women’s Series desde 2018. A vitória não só encerra um jejum de quase seis anos como também reforça o talento de Hedman, uma das pioneiras do dardo feminino no circuito profissional.

A competição, que tem ganhado cada vez mais visibilidade no Brasil e em países lusófonos, chega em um momento em que o esporte busca expandir sua base de fãs além do tradicional público europeu. Hedman, aos 55 anos, representa a resiliência e a paixão que inspiram novas gerações de jogadores, enquanto a PDC Women’s Series se consolida como uma vitrine para o crescimento do dardo feminino. Para os torcedores brasileiros, a conquista reforça a ideia de que o Brasil, com sua crescente comunidade de fãs de dardo, pode se tornar um celeiro de novos talentos no futuro.

Com a vitória, Hedman não só devolve a credibilidade à sua carreira como também acende a faísca para a próxima edição da Premier League Darts, que será transmitida ao vivo pela Sky, prometendo mais emoção aos amantes do esporte.