Rob Cross on previous victory as World Darts Championship motivation: I've won it once so I can win it again | Darts News

Although Rob Cross will always walk into Alexandra Palace with the weight of being a former champion on his shoulders, it is not something he spends time focusing on at the Worlds.

Cross shocked the sart world back in 2018 when, on his Palace debut, he walked away as champion after beating Phil Taylor 7-2 just 11 months ago after turning professional.

He has since established himself as one of the top players in the world and enters the 2024/25 tournament as world no 4 on the PDC Order of Merit and in form.

With such a big impact on his CV in a competition in which he always does well, Cross goes into the Worlds every year as one of the main names being talked about.

But instead of seeing his previous win as a layer of added pressure, Cross prefers to see it as motivation that if he's won this whole thing once before, there's no reason he can't to do it again.

“I think there's a big difference with winning stuff anyway, just in general, it's always good to know you can win something,” Cross said.

“Because when you haven't done it, when you haven't done it or you haven't won it and you say to yourself, well, I hope I can win it.

“But at the same time it becomes difficult when you don't win it again.

“So, I've had about six or seven years now and I need to change that at some point.

“I think the Worlds are the hardest for me because whoever has been world champion doesn't want to take it back and I get that, but I understand that .

“But if I find out usually protective stuff or anything like that, it doesn't even enter my brain. I'm not much of a thinker to be honest.

“You're always better to win the titles than you have, but at the same time, you shouldn't think from two years ago with money or a year ago or anything, to go in there to protect it and look at it that way. , it's just an added stress.

“I'll go in there and maybe look at it as a positive and think to myself, well I've won it once so I can win it again instead of being negative.

“Man-made pressure and it's never a good thing, is it?”

Although Cross doesn't like to put extra weight on himself, it's always encouraging that he would one day be named a two-time world champion.

“I think the overall picture I've always put out is myself and I'm going to want to win every competition I enter because obviously it's it's just mental but at the same time I'm just game after game, literally as they come and they seem to be. come thick and fast,” he said.

“Just game after game and literally just look to the end of my nose almost, just don't look beyond that.

“Touch wood, I never play a bad game there, I really like it, I love it, it's just one of them that I walk in with.” -all the memories and other things I had in it, I will always love it. place even if I wasn't playing.

“If you're going to play your best and if you can play your best, that's where you want to do it.

“I want to win the whole thing, I want to be called a two-time world champion. At the same time, it's just going to be one game at a time, you know, I think that this is one of the most competitive places in the world and everyone raises their game.”

Cross on THAT game Littler: 'It's amazing for the game'

Back in the 2023/24 tournament, Cross gave darts fans some big moments and games, 'Voltage' having a semi-final of the ages against a very special Luke Littler on his debut.

Littler averaged 106.05, hitting 16 top scores and ton-plus finishes of 149, 142 and 132 en route to a stunning 6-2 victory and Cross, who is now able to look the part more, seeing how “amazing” that run was for the game.

“To be honest, look, we're all born trying to be winners and stuff like that but it's not good when you lose,” Cross said.

“But look at the bigger picture, you know, the boy and what Luke has gone on to achieve after that, it's nothing short of amazing.

“I'm not a jealous guy away from rays or looking in. I guess I'll go up there, I'm a competitor and I want to win when I'm up there but when you come off, I watch it, I just think it's been amazing.

Although Cross is favorite again this year, there has been plenty of shock and awe in darts in 2024 and the world No 4 doesn't expect more to happen at Ally Pally.

“I just think of darts now, if you were to go back ten years ago you could probably pick three people who could win a tournament or four if you were generous,” Cross said.

“Now all of a sudden, you look at it and maybe you have, I don't know, out of 32 you have 24 for sure and you can probably write off the other eight .

“So, I think that's good for a watcher, I think for the people who are looking in and watching at home.”

When is the World Darts Championship held?

The tournament kicks off at Alexandra Palace on Sunday 15 December, with three first round matches and one second round match on the opening night.

Darts will be live over each of the following eight days, including seven afternoon sessions, with the usual three day break from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day before returning with a third round and a double session on December 27.

The third and fourth rounds will be completed by December 30 before New Year's Eve, with the quarter-finals held over two sessions on New Year's Day before the semi-finals on 2 January and the final on Friday 3rd January.

A full day-by-day schedule for this year's tournament is available here here.

Who will win the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? Watch all the matches live exclusively from 15 December to 3 January on Sky Sports' exclusive darts channel. Stream darts and more sports favorites with NOW.