Though Rob Cross will all the time stroll into Alexandra Palace with the stress of being a former champion on his shoulders, it’s not one thing he spends time specializing in on the Worlds.
Cross shocked the darting world again in 2018 when, on his debut on the Palace, he walked away as champion after defeating Phil Taylor 7-2 simply 11 months after turning skilled.
He has since cemented himself as one of many world’s high gamers and goes into the 2024/25 event as world no 4 on the PDC Order of Benefit and in kind.
With such a momentous win on his CV in a event he all the time does nicely in, Cross heads into the Worlds every year as one of many high names being talked about.
Debutant Rob Cross sensationally lifted the World Championship title in 2018, defeating Phil Taylor in his last-ever sport.
However relatively than seeing his former triumph as an added layer of stress, Cross prefers to see it as motivation that if he has gained this complete factor as soon as earlier than, there is no such thing as a cause why he cannot do it once more.
“I feel there is a massive distinction with profitable stuff anyway, simply generally, it is all the time good to know you could win one thing,” Cross mentioned.
“As a result of when you have not executed it, when you have not executed it or you have not gained it and also you’re saying to your self, nicely, I hope I can win it.
“However on the similar time it does get irritating when you do not win it once more.
Rob Cross lands spectacular 164, 160 and 110 checkouts throughout his Grand Slam of Darts victory over Ritchie Edhouse.
“So, I’ve had a couple of six or seven-year drought now and I kind of want to vary that sooner or later.
“I feel the Worlds was the toughest one for me as a result of whoever’s been world champion by no means needs to offer it again and I get that, however I perceive that.
“However do I discover usually defending stuff or something like that, it would not even enter my mind. I am not that a lot of a thinker to be sincere.
“You are all the time higher to win the titles than have them, however on the similar time, you should not assume from two years in the past with cash or a yr in the past or no matter, entering into there to defend it and taking a look at it like that, it is simply additional stress.
“I am going to go in there and I am going to in all probability take a look at it as a constructive and I am going to assume to myself, nicely I’ve gained it as soon as so I can win it once more as an alternative of creating a adverse.
“Stress’s man-made and it is by no means an excellent factor, is it?”
Rob Cross hits an enormous 156 checkout in opposition to Ryan Joyce within the World Grand Prix Darts quarter-final.
Though Cross would not wish to put additional stress on himself, there’s all the time the motivation that sooner or later he want to be introduced because the two-time world champion.
“I feel the general image I all the time set myself out and I am going I need to win each event that I am going into as a result of clearly that is simply mentality however on the similar time I am simply sport by sport, actually as they arrive and so they appear to return thick and quick,” he added.
Rob Cross knocked out Luke Littler with an 88 end on the bullseye within the first spherical of the World Grand Prix Darts.
“Simply sport by sport and actually simply look to the tip of my nostril just about, simply not look any additional than that.
“Contact wooden, I by no means actually play a nasty sport there, I actually take pleasure in it, I find it irresistible, it is simply certainly one of them locations I stroll in with all of the recollections and different stuff that I’ve had there, I’ll all the time love the place even when I wasn’t taking part in.
“If you are going to play your greatest darts and should you can play your greatest darts, that is the place you need to do it.
“I need to win the entire thing, I need to be introduced two-time world champion. On the similar time, it’s going to simply be one sport at a time, you already know, I feel it is certainly one of them locations the place it is the largest event on this planet and everybody raises their sport.”
Cross on THAT Littler match: ‘He’s wonderful for the sport’
What a rare leg of darts! Rob Cross practically hits a 9 however Luke Littler takes it for the fourth set.
Again within the 2023/24 event, Cross supplied darts followers with some epic moments and matches, ‘Voltage’ concerned in a semi-final for the ages in opposition to a sure Luke Littler on his debut.
Littler averaged 106.05, hitting 16 maximums and ton-plus finishes of 149, 142 and 132 en path to a powerful 6-2 victory and Cross, now in a position to take a look at the larger image, sees how “wonderful” that run was for the sport.
“To be sincere, look, we’re all born attempting to be winners and stuff like that however it’s not good once you lose,” Cross mentioned.
“However take a look at the larger image, you already know, the boy and what Luke’s gone on to realize after that’s nothing in need of wonderful.
“I am not a jealous individual away from darts or wanting in. I suppose I am going to go up there, I am a competitor and I need to win after I’m up there however once you come off, I take a look at him, I simply assume he is been wonderful. He’s wonderful for the sport too.”
Rob Cross got here again from 4-0 all the way down to Chris Dobey to finish a ‘darting miracle!’
Whereas Cross can be a favorite once more this yr, there was a number of shocks and upsets in darts in 2024 and the world No 4 shouldn’t be ruling out extra taking place at Ally Pally.
“I simply assume darts now, should you took it again ten years in the past you could possibly in all probability decide three folks that would win a event or 4 should you have been being beneficiant,” Cross added.
“Now hastily, you are taking a look at it and you have in all probability bought, I do not know, out of 32 you’ve got bought a particular 24 and you’ll in all probability write off the opposite eight.
“So, I feel that is good for a watcher, I feel for the folks wanting in and watching at dwelling.”
When will the World Darts Championship happen?
The event will get beneath approach at Alexandra Palace on Sunday December 15, with three first-round matches and one second-round match on the opening night.
Talking on Love The Darts, Michael Bridge and Polly James debate which gamers are nonetheless to be feared when taking part in in opposition to them.
There can be dwell darts over every of the next eight days, together with seven afternoon classes, with the standard three-day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day earlier than returning with the third spherical and a double session on December 27.
The third and fourth rounds can be accomplished by December 30 earlier than an evening off on New Yr’s Eve, with the quarter-finals held throughout two classes on New Yr’s Day forward of the semi-finals on January 2 and the ultimate on Friday January 3.
The complete day-by-day schedule for this yr’s event may be discovered right here.
Who will win the Paddy Energy World Darts Championship? Watch each match completely dwell from December 15-January 3 on Sky Sports activities’ devoted darts channel. Stream darts and extra high sport with NOW.
