Rob Cross Opens Up on Heartbreak After World Matchplay Win

Rob Cross has made a heartbreaking confession after his commanding 10-3 round-one win over Danny Noppert at the World Matchplay Darts on Monday.

What happened?

The 35-year-old darts star has been through a difficult year, both on and off the board. He announced his split from wife Georgia last month after many years together. Cross has since returned to the stage for this month's World Matchplay and made a bright start as he looks to climb the tournament rankings.

Why it matters for Rob Cross

Cross has been open about the challenges he's faced, including a recent ban from serving as a company director until June 2030. He was disqualified from acting as a company director for five years, following the collapse of his business earlier last summer. Voltage's company failed to pay more than £450,000 in tax.

What comes next?

Cross has since entered an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) to repay part of the money he owes, with monthly instalments that rise and fall depending on his darts earnings. The former world champion darts player has been some difficult moments both on the board and financially. He has been blessed with success, but it seems that darts is all he has left now.

"I love to win an argument and I love to win a conversation," Cross said. "But my manager sat me down and said, 'come on son, have you seen the World Matchplay race?' And I was like 'nah, not looked at it' because I never ever look. I've been blessed, I've been silverspooned, I've been the other stuff but he said to me, 'you're really in trouble' so following that I thought 'alright, I'll have a little peek."

Cross added: "If you miss this place [World Matchplay] you're doing something wrong in your career and I've been very fortunate to be here, most of my years, I think all my years actually. Since I've been professional I've loved this place and to miss it, actually, it was probably heartbreaking. Maybe give up, you know, I'm not too sure. I suppose I look at darts now, I'm single, it's all I've really got in the world now, it's darts."

The Kent-born thrower set up Rob Cross Darts Limited in May 2017 to manage his prize money - including the £400,000 he earned for winning the world title. But between March 2020 and November 2023, Cross withdrew over £300,000 in company funds that should have gone to creditors, including HMRC. By the time the business entered insolvent liquidation in late 2023, Cross had also taken more than £400,000 through a director's loan account.

Cross is banned from serving as a company director until June 2030, a sanction revealed last summer. He has since entered an Individual Voluntary Agreement (IVA) to repay part of the money he owes, with monthly instalments that rise and fall depending on his darts earnings.

"It's not the proudest moment of my life," Cross said. "But I'm trying to move forward and focus on my darts career."

The World Matchplay continues, with Cross set to face another opponent in the next round. Will he be able to overcome his personal struggles and return to his former glory on the board?

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