Rob Cross shifting home to present him finest likelihood of successful Darts Premier League

Rob Cross is decided to get again to the highest of the darting world – and is shifting home to assist him on the best way.

Voltage burst onto the arrows scene in 2017, reaching the ultimate of two European Tour occasions earlier than happening to win the PDC World Championship on debut on the finish of the 12 months. Now he is again within the Premier League for the primary time since 2021 after reaching the semi-finals at this 12 months’s worlds.

Cross was overwhelmed by boy marvel Luke Littler within the ultimate 4 at Alexandra Palace, although had seen off fellow potential Premier League contenders Chris Dobey and Jonny Clayton earlier within the occasion. He beat 2023 Masters winner Dobey 5-4 regardless of trailing by 4 units however could not get the higher of Littler.

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The run, plus a robust finish to 2023 the place he reached the ultimate of the Grand Slam of Darts, ensured Cross made it again on the Premier League circuit. And with loads of travelling to return, the 33-year-old is heading out of Hastings to chop down on his weekly commutes.

“I’m only going Lincolnshire but obviously with the Premier League and everything being hours away, cut the traveling down and stuff and just try and make things a little bit easier,” Cross mentioned. “I dwell in Hastings so Wigan [where plenty of Pro Tour events are held] is 288 miles for me. It’s a little bit of a nightmare.

“But I’m moving in the middle of February, I’ve got a driver up there with my management. I usually do all my own driving so it will just a take a bit more stress off.”

Cross reached the play-offs in his first two years within the Premier League, and was overwhelmed by Michael Van Gerwen within the 2019 ultimate. He completed ninth within the desk the next two years with each Prem seasons decimated by the Covid outbreak and largely performed behind closed doorways.

But the previous electrician is again and excited to strive the brand new format as he travels throughout the UK and into Europe over the subsequent 4 months.

“I used to love it when I used to play once a week,” he revealed. “I’m not going to lie, and at the time through Covid and with no fans, I struggled a bit on stage.

“It was very quiet but my game probably wasn’t there at the time. I had a lot going on in life, away from darts my problems were there. I was like the weakest link.

“Being away for a few years now, I’ve rebuilt myself and really feel nice. The confidence has come again. It’s going to be a bit little bit of a change with the brand new format however I believe it’s kind of thrilling.

“I think the straight knockout will suit me but you’ve got seven other players, they’re all top class players. So it will be hard.”

Cross did win two televised titles in 2023, lifting the New South Wales Masters and New Zealand Masters. He has been again on the World Series tour this season, being a part of the eight PDC gamers chosen to characteristic in Bahrain and the Netherlands in January.

The European Grand Prix and a Players Championship crown was additionally received over the past 12 months with 2018 world champ Cross having fun with being again on the oche.

“When I was playing in the Premier League last time, I weren’t really enjoying darts,” he added. “But I’m buzzing again now. This last year I had much improved, better results and am looking forwards.

“I believe the Premier League will assist me, being again on TV each week, again within the highlight. I really feel prepared for it now. I’ve seemed on the calendar and there will likely be instances I’ve to overlook the ground tournaments. It’s a busy schedule.

“But I’ve got to try and hit the ground running, hit it harder at the start and that takes the pressure off at the back end of the year.”

Cross was the final individual overwhelmed by Luke Littler at Ally Pally earlier than the then-16-year-old tasted his first defeat on the world stage within the ultimate. Voltage had led 2-1 in units earlier than Littler ran away with the match.

And although he reached the ultimate 4, pocketing £100,000 within the course of, Cross nonetheless wasn’t finest happy.

“Look, it’s better than going out in the first round, but no [I wouldn’t have taken a semi-final], I wanted to win it,” he continued. “You go into that tournament and after winning it in 2018, you what it feels like.

“Even going out within the semis, I felt a bit dangerous. I missed my probabilities and the boy simply performed excellent.”

But a ultimate 4 at Alexandra Palace did not assure Cross’s spot within the Premier League. Only the highest 4 on the PDC Order of Merit are routinely in, with Cross having sat in sixth when the line-up was introduced.

And the 2019 World Matchplay winner admits he was left barely anxious over whether or not he’d be again within the combine.

“Overall my year, I had two TV wins, I had a couple of wins elsewhere,” he mentioned. “I was consistent… Grand Slam final, Masters final, World semis.

“But I suppose not being within the prime 4, it places you on edge. If you are within the prime 4, you already know that you’ve it. So for me, yeah, it was a bit edgy however I knew I’d performed nice issues it doesn’t matter what in that 12 months.

“If I was overlooked, I would have felt a bit hard done by, I suppose.”

Cross will open this 12 months’s Premier League, dealing with Peter Wright within the quarter-finals in Cardiff on February 1. He will get an opportunity to avenge his defeat to Littler on Night Two in Berlin with Voltage having fun with the travelling round Europe and the remainder of the world.

“I enjoyed it last year,” Cross mentioned. “I’ve done them all last year and I’ve really enjoyed being back in that illustrious, sort of back with the boys and feeling like I belong.

“I believe that is an important factor. Sometimes you take a look at your self and should you really feel such as you belong, you do nice stuff.

“I actually loved the World Series final 12 months and it helped me and it made it lots simpler, understanding that I wished the Premier League to return in there.

“I grew hunger from the World Series. I just wish I got to win a bit more instead of runners up. I want to win a bit more this year and I want to sort that out, it’s not great being second best.

“It seems nice within the area of 32 once you take a look at the entire draw. But yeah, except you are successful, you are probably not doing all of your job, you already know.”

But Cross certainly is doing his job. And he doesn’t plan on going back to his old job as an electrician, even if his new house needs a bit of doing up.

“I do not find out about that – I would not even know the best way to use the screwdriver now!”