Darts star makes 'terrible' Ronnie O'Sullivan claim as snooker legend suffers heavy Players Championship loss

Darts star makes 'terrible' Ronnie O'Sullivan claim as snooker legend suffers heavy Players Championship loss

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Lewis Winter

By Lewis Winter


Published: 23/02/2024

- 16:09

Updated: 05/03/2024

- 17:06

Rob Cross has compared his form to that of the snooker great

Former darts world champion Rob Cross claims he is playing 'terrible' at the moment, just like snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Cross made the comparison on Thursday evening following his semi-final loss in the Premier League, a night which saw O'Sullivan also taste defeat in comphrensive fashion.


Michael van Gerwen won night four of the Premier League in Newcastle, his third straight triumph in the weekly competition.

Cross came through a tight quarter-final against Luke Humphries, beating the world No 1 6-5 in the second game of the evening.

Ronnie O'Sullivan

Darts star Rob Cross says he's playing terrible like Ronnie O'Sullivan

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But Cross then lost out to Nathan Aspinall, who picked up his first points in the tournament.

Aspinall beat the 2018 world champion 6-4 before he was beaten by Van Gerwen by the same scoreline in the final.

As the darts were being thrown at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, O'Sullivan was in action 220 miles south at the Players Championship in Telford.

The 48-year-old, competing in his first tournament for a month, came up against Mark Selby in the quarter-final.

O'Sullivan was on a winning run of 16 matches dating back to last November and had won the last three competitions he had entered.

But he has been critical of his performances, while rival players such as Neil Robertson have described his form as 'awful'.

No one would have expected Thursday's result though, with Selby whitewashing the Rocket 6-0 in front of a stunned crowd.

Speaking after his loss in Newcastle, Cross admitted he can see similarities between his and O'Sullivan's form.

He said: "I feel like I'm playing terrible at the minute, I really do. It's like Ronnie O'Sullivan, no cue action.

"But I don't feel at my best at the minute but I can still get results.

"I think that's positive, to keep going forward and keep pushing. But when it clicks I expect to win and that's where I want to be."

Cross has six points from the first four weeks in the Premier League, reaching the semi-final three times but failing to go any further.

He was pleased to beat Humphries, who was crowned world champion for the first time in early January.

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Rob Cross

Rob Cross is not pleased with his form in the Premier League

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And he claims there is currently no player he fears on the tour. Cross said: "Look, [Humphries is] great, he's battered me a few times in the last couple of years!

"But I enjoy his games and stuff and he's a great player. He's a thoroughly deserved world champion.

"I don't think there's an element of fear now for most when you go out there.

"It's all about now turning up and if you don't turn up, you don't get, and if you're not getting you go home with a little quivered lip like my one this week.

Rob Cross

Rob Cross has picked up six points from the first four weeks in the Premier League

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"It's all about competing first thing but the second thing is trying to pick up wins.

"We're all on the same par, we all start at the same round and we all have to try and make sure we're at our best or be the best version for the night.

"Sixteen weeks is a marathon, it's not a sprint. But I'm enjoying it though, that's the main thing.

"I can moan about it when I sit here but I'm enjoying it."

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