Darts star Fallon Sherrock walks away from sport in shock health announcement
Darts star Fallon Sherrock walks away from sport in shock health announcement
The 'Queen of Ally Pally' is set to take some time out from the sport
(Image: Getty Images )
Fallon Sherrock has revealed she won't be competing in any major tournaments in 2026 as part of her decision to take a step back from darts due to health issues.
Sherrock has been something of a trailblazer in what continues to be a male-dominated sport, becoming the first woman to win a PDC World Championship match back in 2021, before then reaching the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam of Darts that year.
Her success has amid struggles with kidney disease, which she was diagnosed with back in 2014, with the 30-year-old previously admitting that the multiple medications needed to combat the disease had given her a 'moon face'.
Now, her condition has caused her to take a step back from the sport.
"All I want is to practice at home for a couple of hours a day - but I can't do that at the moment," Sherrock told Online Darts.
"So it is difficult. I've had to pull out of a few exhibition events recently because I haven't had the stamina.
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"I really wanted to play in the Women's week at Modus and I wasn't able to do a whole week.
"So I've had to narrow down what I'm playing in now, and that hurts a little bit because I love darts.
"But fingers crossed, in a couple of years time I'll be alright and I'll be back to winning really well.
"I like I'm a strong individual and whatever gets thrown at me, I will overcome it. We'll see what happens in the next few months, but I'm more determined now to keep fighting and I genuinely just want to play darts, enjoy my life and not worry about anything at the moment."
Sherrock failed to progress past the first round at this year's World Championship, losing to Ryan Meikle, and that competition remains the ultimate ambition.
Quizzed on where her ambitions now stand for the rest of the year, she added: "Just to qualify for what I can. Just keep going.
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"My main objective is, of course, the World Championship," she said.
"But I also definitely want to be part of the Grand Slam - because I think if I really am going to take a year off next year, I want to make a statement beforehand.
"I want to try and get to everything this year. Even if I'm not playing at 100 per cent, I can at least say I made it."
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