Who is Rob Cross?

Rob Cross is a 27-year-old competing in his first world championship.

He has been playing darts since he was 11 and says he first realised he was good ged 18.

Cross is nicknamed Voltage and walks on to ‘Hot, Hot, Hot’ by Arrow.

He is now the World No 6 having started the tournament ranked 20th in the world.

What was Rob Cross before he played darts?

Cross was an electrician before quitting in 2016. He then entered the amateur qualifiers for the UK Open that year before he was knocked out by Michael van Gerwen.

Darts then became his priority and he’s gone on to earn £211,250 playing the sport.

Unsurprisingly, he hasn’t take to revert to his old job since.

That’s not including this year’s tournament, where he will earn £400,000 if he wins.

What else is there to know about Rob Cross?

Cross revealed all in an interview with his sponsors Target.

He says the one bit of advice he would give himself would be “Cherish the support from your family and friends, they are the ones who will always be there for you”.

His ultimate achievement is to be world No 1 and he prepares for his matches by playing 201.

Interestingly Cross said his inspiration is ‘Phil Taylor – who else?’ and the best piece of advice he’s been given ‘nobody remembers second place, they only remember the winner’.

TAYLOR v CROSS - tale of the tape

PHIL TAYLOR

Age: 57

Born: Burslem.

Nickname: The Power.

Walk-on music: The Power by Snap!

Former job: Maker of ceramic toilet roll handles.

World ranking: 6.

Career prize earnings: £7.1m (not including World Championship).

World titles: 16.

Major career titles: 83

ROB CROSS

Age: 27

Born: Pembury.

Nickname: Voltage.

Walk-on music: Hot, Hot, Hot by Arrow.

Former job: Electrician.

World ranking: 20.

Career prize earnings: £211,250 (not including World Championship).

World titles: This is his debut.

Major career titles: 0