31-07-2025
‘It's a problem for me at the minute' – Rob Cross admits darts concerns after former world champ's major slump in form
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ROB CROSS admits he has to 'pull his finger out' after a slump in form.
The former world champ made a great start to the year by winning the Players Championship One and Dutch Darts Masters titles.
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Rob Cross has admitted that he has to put the work in to return to his former level in competitive darts
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
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The former world champ highlighted a lack of focus and passion as his explanation for his slump
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
But the Sussex thrower has been inconsistent since, and he's yet to make a major quarter-final in 2025.
The World No.9 endured a frustrating World Matchplay campaign, crashing out in the first round after a shock 10-8 defeat to Dirk van Duijvenbode.
Four-times major winner Cross concedes he's been struggling with focus and passion at the oche — but says it's time to get serious.
He said: 'The motivation is a problem for me at the minute, you know, obviously I've had time out.
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'I played four or five times in seven weeks, and I felt good for the Matchplay actually, I managed to do a bit of practice and stuff.
'Concentration is probably a little bit of an issue there against Dirk, you know, 6-2 up, averaging 108, and then it was like switching the tap off.
'I need to correct that really coming up for the rest of the year from September onwards, but yeah, motivation has got to change.
'I've got to probably pull my finger out and actually put a bit more practice in and get a little bit more keen and more passionate about the game.
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Cross suffered a disappointing defeat in the first round of the world matchplay to Dirk van Duijvenbode
Credit: PA
'That's darts and if I don't work at it hard enough, I'm not the most naturally talented player out of all of us up there.
'Some people probably won't have to pick a dart up for a month and still come back and be sort of very decent so yeah, I need to put that work in.'
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