Fallon Sherrock has come out fighting against the social media guttersnipes, glowering: “If you've got something to say, come here and say it to my face.”
The Queen of the Palace has had enough of the gutless trolls after she was handed a golden ticket to the Cazoo PDC World Championship in a late revision of the qualifying rules.
No more Barbie doll cuteness. No more waving regally to the crowds in her signature bubblegum-pink top. No more nice girl-next-door.
Sherrock was controversially awarded her place at Ally Pally for winning the inaugural Women's World Matchplay in July – having missed out on the two places allocated to female players in the Professional Darts Corporation order of merit.
And she isn't messing about – a bit like 'Rapid' Ricky Evans, her first round opponent next Tuesday, the fastest purveyor of tungsten of the circuit.
“In this day and age, I don't think it's right to hide behind social media,” said Sherrock, who shot to fame after beating Ted Evetts and Mensur Suljovic at the World Championship three years ago.
"That's the kind of person I am – if I've got an issue with you, or I've got something to say, I will come to you, say I'm not happy and explain why.
“I think you should confront the person – not nastily, but face up – and ask if there's a problem. It's not like I've reinvented the wheel, because it's only a couple of games, but so far no other woman has done what I've done at Ally Pally.
“I don't care what anyone says: I deserve my spot because I won a major PDC title on TV. I don't have a point to prove to anybody.”
Four-time ladies world champion Lisa Ashton and 18-year-old sensation Beau Greaves, who beat Sherrock, 28, to the top two places in the PDC Women's Series, make up the three females in this year's 96-player field.
The Queen of the Palace said: “I would love to see Lisa or Beau win a couple of games because it takes a bit off pressure, stress and publicity off me.
“It would be nice to relax, go under the radar and just play. I could be the best player in the world and I'd get hate or I could be the worst player in the world and I'd still get hate. It doesn't seem to matter what I do – so far I'm the only woman to win on that stage. Everyone targets me, but maybe if someone else did it, they would leave me alone a little bit.”
Last month, in exasperation, Sherrock threatened to quit the women's circuit because of the jealousy her success has generated.
She has had second thoughts, explaining: “I'm still going to try and get a PDC Tour card because that's the golden ticket, that's what everyone wants, but I'm still going to play in women's tournaments because I want to help progress the game. If I don't, it's not going to help women's darts develop and we're not going to get anywhere.
“I know there are people looking out for me – I didn't even know Trina Gulliver was at the Grand Slam, but she came to watch me and I've got a 10-times world champion texting me, making sure I'm all right.
"I said what I said to let people know how I was feeling, and if you knew how it affected me, maybe you would change – I just thought nothing would change unless I said something."
Cameron Menzies, Sherrock's partner who plays Diogo Portela in the first round at Ally Pally, lives with her in Milton Keynes and said: “It’s not Fallon’s fault she was given qualification.
“Of course I’m protective of her. It’s the same with anyone and their other half. If someone came up to you in the street and say something bad, you’d take it into your own hands.”
