CROSS ADMITS NOT PLAYING ENOUGH “HURT” HIS GAME
09/05/2026 By Aaron Nijjar
ROB CROSS admitted he “hurt” himself by not playing enough last year.
The former world champion defeated William O’Connor 6-3 at the Austrian Darts Open to move into round three.
Voltage has made a steady start to 2026, reaching a ProTour quarter-final and the last eight of the UK Open, but insists he is still trying to get back to his very best level.
Cross reflected on a difficult spell in his career and revealed he is starting to feel positive again.
He said: “I feel in a really good place but it’s really weird trying to ride it out and do stuff.
“Everything is good and it has to come out, but hopefully that win will chill me out now.
“The way I was going to explain that, I thought I was going to get a fine there, so we won’t go there.”
The Sussex thrower was left out of this season’s Premier League line-up after failing to reach a televised quarter-final in 2025 for the first time since 2016.
Cross revealed withdrawing from numerous floor events last year disrupted his rhythm and dented his form.
He added: “Life is what you make it. I think not playing last year and doing a few bits hurt myself.
“But look, I am working hard now and trying to correct it, and working so that if I get back to what I know I can do, not many people will worry, not any.
“I can hit 108 averages but I need to get back to that.
“I am just glad I have another chance tomorrow to try and correct it.”
Cross returns to action on Sunday afternoon in Graz and will face either Michael van Gerwen or krzysztof Ratajski for a place in the quarter-final.
