Fallon Sherrock Just Broke My Heart (And Maybe Yours Too)

By Lewis Barnett 2 June, 2025 5 mins read 86 Views

God, where do I even start with this one.

So Fallon Sherrock - you know, the woman who literally made history by being the first to beat a man at the World Darts Championship back in 2019 - just announced she's taking a whole year off from darts. A YEAR. And honestly? It's because her health is completely shot.

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That Magical December Night (And Everything That Went Wrong After)

Look, I still get goosebumps thinking about December 2019. Fallon absolutely demolished Ted Evetts 3-2 in that first round, then went on to crush Mensur Suljovic 3-1. The crowd was going mental. She earned the nickname "Queen of the Palace" and for those few days, it felt like the entire sport had shifted on its axis.

Then COVID happened.

Poor Fallon never really recovered that momentum. It's like watching someone catch lightning in a bottle, only to have the bottle shatter in their hands. The pandemic killed her flow, and she's been struggling to find that magic ever since.

When Your Body Says "Nope"

Here's the part that really gets me - and this is straight from her own mouth in an interview with Online Darts. She said: "All I want to do is practice at home for a couple of hours a day, and I can't do that at the moment. I've had to pull out of some exhibitions recently as well, because I haven't had the stamina."

The stamina. Jesus.

She wanted to play in the Women's Week at Modus but couldn't handle a full week of competition. Think about that for a second - this is someone who thrives on competition, who lives and breathes darts, and her body is basically telling her to sit down and shut up.

"I've had to narrow down what I'm playing in now, and that hurts because I love darts," she admitted. You can hear the frustration bleeding through those words, can't you?

One Last Dance Before the Break

But here's where Fallon shows she's still got that champion mentality. She's not just rolling over and disappearing quietly. The 30-year-old wants to qualify for both the Grand Slam of Darts and the World Championship this winter before taking her year-long hiatus.

"My main objective this year is obviously the Worlds. But I want to try and get to the Grand Slam this year, because I feel like if I am going to have a year out next year, I want to make a bang."

That's the spirit that made her the Queen of the Palace in the first place. Even when she's running on fumes, she wants to go out swinging.

The Reality Check Nobody Wants to Hear

Before her first-round loss to Ryan Meikle at the World Championship in December, Fallon opened up a bit about her health struggles. She kept it pretty close to the vest - "Only a few people close to me actually know about it" - but admitted she'd been "poorly."

The woman who once had the entire darts world watching her every move was suddenly flying under the radar. "This year I feel like there is hardly any pressure on me at all," she said, almost like she was relieved to step out of the spotlight.

What Comes Next?

Fallon's dating Cameron Menzies (ranked No36 in the world), so at least she's got someone who understands the pressure and demands of professional darts. That's gotta help.

But honestly? Her words about the future hit different: "I just need to sort myself out. I need to get myself well again and then once I do, the sky is the limit because I know I can do it and I know how many hours I've got to put in, what standard I've got to play. So I can do it, I just need the energy for it first."

The confidence is still there. The belief is still there.

Her body just needs time to catch up.

Look, I'm not gonna pretend this isn't heartbreaking. Watching someone who changed an entire sport have to step away because their health won't cooperate? That's rough. But if anyone can come back stronger after a year of rest and recovery, it's the woman who proved that anything is possible on that magical night in 2019.

Take your time, Fallon. We'll be here when you're ready to reclaim your throne.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wait, so how exactly do you score in darts? I always get confused.

Dart scoring is straightforward once you get the hang of it! The standard game (501 or 301) starts with that number, and you subtract whatever you hit with each throw. The goal is to reach exactly zero, with your final dart landing in a double.

What weight darts should beginners use?

For beginners, I generally recommend starting with medium-weight darts between 21-24 grams. This range offers enough heft to fly straight without requiring too much force, but isn't so heavy that it becomes tiring during longer practice sessions.

What's the standard height for hanging a dartboard?

The standard height for a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches (173 cm) from the floor to the bullseye. This measurement is official across professional darts organizations worldwide, including the PDC and BDO. It's designed to create a fair playing field for players of different heights.

My darts keep bouncing out of the board. What am I doing wrong?

Bounce-outs are incredibly frustrating, but they're usually caused by one of a few common issues. First, check your dartboard—if it's old and dried out, even the best throws will struggle to stick. Quality sisal boards should last years, but cheaper paper-wound boards harden quickly. If you can press your thumbnail into the board and it doesn't leave a small indent, it's too hard.

What are "flights" and "stems" and do they really matter?

Flights and stems (also called shafts) are the components that stabilize your dart during flight, and yes, they absolutely matter—though perhaps not in the way beginners often think.

I keep hitting 5s and 1s when aiming for 20s. How do I fix this?

This is probably the most common frustration in darts—those dreaded 5s and 1s when you're aiming for the 20 segment! The good news is that this specific problem usually stems from a few identifiable issues.

Statistics

The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) World Championship has been held since 1994, with Phil Taylor winning a record 14 titles.
The distance from the throwing line (oche) to the dartboard is precisely 7 feet 9.25 inches (2.37 meters).
A professional dart weighs between 18-50 grams, with most players preferring 21-24 gram darts.
Statistical analysis reveals that professional players throw darts at an average speed of 40-60 miles per hour.
The World Darts Championship prize fund exceeded £2.5 million in 2023, with the champion receiving £500,000.
The first televised nine-dart finish was thrown by John Lowe in 1984, earning him £102,000.
Phil Taylor has hit a record 22 televised nine-dart finishes throughout his professional career.
The standard height from the floor to the bullseye on a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 meters).

External Links

How To

Setting Up Your Practice Space

The official height for a dartboard is 5 feet 8 inches from the floor to the bullseye. The throwing line (oche) should be 7 feet 9¼ inches from the face of the board. I used to have mine hung too low and wondered why my game never improved at the pub! Measuring tape is your friend here.

Did you miss our previous article...
https://sportingexcitement.com/darts/when-nathan-aspinall-dropped-the-fbomb-on-live-tv-and-why-i-couldnt-stop-laughing