Rob Cross Secures Spot in Grand Slam of Darts Last 16 with Victory Over Peter Wright

Rob Cross, the 2018 World Champion, delivered a strong performance, securing a decisive 5-1 win against Peter Wright. This victory guaranteed his progression to the Grand Slam of Darts last 16. Wright had been struggling throughout the Wolverhampton tournament. Following an even start where the first two legs were split, Cross proceeded to dominate his opponent. With this win, Cross finished as the runner-up in Group C. Martin Lukeman secured the top spot in the group after achieving a 5-3 victory against Leonard Gates. Speaking to Sky Sports, Cross commented on his opponent’s struggles, stating, “I don’t like seeing people suffering. I felt for him [Wright]. It’s great, I’m through, but he’s a great guy and deserves a lot more.” He added, “I expected a little bit more [from him] tonight and never got it, he would probably admit that. I hope he does come back and rebuild.” In other matches, James Wade concluded his game with a skillful 121 checkout, securing a 5-1 victory over Rowby-John Rodriguez and finishing first in Group A. Wade advanced to the knockout phase, as did Mickey Mansell, despite Mansell’s 5-1 defeat to Luke Humphries, who had already been eliminated. Danny Noppert moved on to the next stage, maintaining a perfect record in Group B after a 5-2 triumph over Martin Schindler. Schindler’s failure to convert four darts for a third leg meant he missed the opportunity to advance as runner-up. Consequently, Cameron Menzies progressed based on legs difference, despite his 5-1 loss to Beau Greaves in his final match. Meanwhile, in Group D, Ross Smith secured a 5-0 whitewash against Connor Scutt, clinching his qualification in second place with an 11-dart final leg. European Champion Ritchie Edhouse topped the group, having defeated Dave Chisnall 5-2. The final eight positions in the last 16 will be determined once the group stage concludes on Tuesday.