BEAU GREAVES admitted she was caught off guard by the changes to the format of this year’s Grand Slam of Darts.

The 22-year-old rising star is set to face off with Luke Littler on Saturday evening as both stars look to get out of Group A.

But that task has been made all the harder this year thanks to a rule change which Greaves admitted she knew little about.

Rather than the usual eight groups of four players, totalling 32 throwers, this year’s edition has 48 players.

To accommodate them, they are sorted into 16 groups of three with only the top player progressing, adding a bit of jeopardy for anyone who loses their opening match, with even a win in their second clash still leaving them at risk.

Greaves said: “I didn’t know. I didn’t have a clue that there was only three in the group! I don’t know why they’ve done it really. It didn’t make much sense to me, but again, I don’t really know.

“It’s just odd, but I suppose you’ve still got to do well to win your group regardless but it’s different, I was a bit shocked.”

The new format puts the pressure firmly on Greaves to pull off something special against the World No1 if she wants to progress.

She has proven she has the ability before, defeating Littler in their first meeting at the World Youth Championship last year.

But Littler got one back on the Doncaster thrower at a Players Championship event in August.

Greaves said: “I think he’s the best [player in the world] in my eyes, I think he’s fantastic to watch, he’s been amazing, so I always imagine he’s going to play really well.

“I don’t want to go in there thinking, ‘oh he’s not on form’, or he’s struggling, because then I would just be terrible.

“So I’ve got to go in there thinking ‘he’s going to absolutely smash me’, and just play my game, and try and take any chance I can, and just enjoy it.”

Greaves has won two matches in her three appearances at the Grand Slam, but is yet to make it out of the groups.

She added: “I played decent at the Grand Slam last year. I have good moments, but I just don’t do it consistently enough.

“It’s something that, if I am going to do really well in the sport, I’m going to have to get better at. It’s a challenge for me, but I look forward to it.