Lisa Ashton hoping for same opportunities as Fallon Sherrock on PDC circuit

Lisa Ashton hopes more women in darts can start getting the opportunities that have been presented to Fallon Sherrock.

Sherrock has been thrust to the forefront of the sport following her exploits at the World Championship, where she became the first woman to win a match at the tournament.

As a result she was a ‘challenger’ in the Premier League at Nottingham last month as well as landing a spot in the World Series, which will see her compete in the United States and Australia among other places.

But the 25-year-old is not the only woman making waves after Ashton became the first to earn a PDC tour card.

Ashton has not been given the fanfare Sherrock has enjoyed, though, and hopes that can change.

“It is good for the ladies, it could have been any of us who won games that got the chances,” the 49-year-old told the PA news agency.

“It was just that it has been Fallon’s time, and she got it and what she has got out of it is brilliant.

“It is brilliant, whether it is Fallon or any lady it is fantastic. It just shows we are all ready to take them on and if more ladies get more exposure it shows we all can do it and we are all ready.

“I just hope more ladies get through and the opportunities that they have given her, I hope they can give me and some other ladies.

“I am just going through with my tour card and doing it that way. If they offer us anything then absolutely.

“I just have to wait and see if they give me the opportunity, if not I will keep going with my tour card.

“It is in my hands, I have just got to play my game and show what I can do and if I get the win it just shows them that we are all ready.”

Ashton will get that chance this weekend as she takes part in the UK Open at Minehead, where she qualified automatically through her tour card.

She came through Q-School earlier this year and it is a feat she is proud of.

“I am absolutely proud. It is history-making,” she said. “No woman has ever done it, to actually make history is a dream come true.

“To actually show that women can compete against men is a massive achievement.

“I think I play better against the men, that’s nothing against the ladies, you know you have to play a higher standard, I always have done.

“I really looked forward to it and then when I got it it was a dream. Hopefully I can keep going, I know I have got two years at it so all I can do is progress higher and higher.

“It is different, completely different to what I am used to, but I am settling in to it slowly so I will just keep going and see how far I can get.

“It is a lot different, we play once a week now, I could have played once or twice a month, it is every week now.

“The standard is higher, the games are a lot longer and the set up is different. It is nice to know that I am playing every week. I am playing more darts now.

“Every week I am progressing and playing better darts and it is bringing my game up so hopefully if I keep going my levels will get higher.”

Ashton takes on Mike De Decker in the first round at Minehead on Friday.