2018 Players Championship 9 

Saturday 28th April 2018

Robin Park Tennis Centre, Wigan

Rob Cross made the last 32 of Players Championship 9 in Wigan with wins against Martin Schindler 6-0 and Ross Smith 6-4. Ryan Joyce then edged out Cross in the third round with some top class finishing as he fought back from 4-1 down to win 6-5.  

Last 128 (vs Martin Schindler)

This was the second meeting between Cross and Schindler on the PDC Pro Tour and it was a second 6-0 victory for Cross against the German youngster. It took Cross 18 darts to win the opening leg, finishing with a 107 checkout. The second leg was won in 14 darts, this time with a 98 finish after Schindler had squandered chances to take it. Two 16 darters sealed legs three and four. Cross hit a 180 in the first of those legs, finishing on double three and took out double sixteen to win the other one. An eleven dart leg with scores of 125, 100, 180 with a 96 finish made it 5-0 then the final leg was won in 14 darts with a 52 finish. Cross averaged 101.33. Schindler averaged 92.31 

Last 64 (vs Ross Smith)

Ross Smith came through the opening round with a 6-3 wn against Dimitri Van den Bergh, taking out a 112 finish and averaging 92.04.

This was the first time Cross and Smith had clashed on the PDC Pro Tour. Both players spent their early years growing up in Kent. Cross is Edenbridge and Smith in Dover. It was Smith that got off to the better start as he took out 104 to win the opening leg with throw in 15 darts and then won the second in 11 darts with scores of 180, 140, 140 and a 41 finish. Smith missed chances to make it 3-0 as Cross won the third leg in 15 darts against throw with a 25 finish. Another 15 darter, this time with a 70 finish made it 2-2. Cross made it three legs on the spin with a 14 dart leg finishing on 32 but Smith was in no mood to let the world champion make it four on the trot as he took out a 151 finish in a 12 dart leg that saw him open up with 125, 45 and 180. Cross was left waiting on 36 after 12 darts thrown. Smith then went 4-3 up with an 85 finish in a 15 dart leg. Cross levelled again with a 13 dart leg that included his second 180 of the match and a double sixteen finish. Both players had chances to win the ninth leg but it went the way of Cross as he took out double eight for a 16 darter. 'Voltage' then opened up the tenth leg with scores of 180 and 177 to leave 144 but fluffed his chances of a nine darter, eventually winning it in 15 darts with Smith back on 210 after 12 darts thrown. Cross ended up with four 180s and an average of 104.49. Smith hit three 180s and averaged 99.55.

Last 32 (vs Ryan Joyce)

Ryan Joyce is enjoying a decent debut year on the PDC Pro Tour and came through his opening two matches in this event with wins against Luke Humphries 6-5 and Vincent van der Voort 6-2.

Cross made a great start to his match against Joyce by taking the opening leg in 10 darts with scores of 140, 180, 145 and a double eighteen finish. Joyce started off brighlty himself with scores of 137, 134, 140 and 60 to leave 30. Cross then opened up the second leg with a 180, winning it in 16 darts by hitting double ten. Joyce won the third leg in 14 darts, this included a 180 and a 20 finish. Cross made it 3-1 in 18 darts with an 18 finish and went 4-1 up with an 11 darter, scoring 137, 140, 174 and checking out on 50. Joyce won the next two legs in 15 and 13 darts to narrow the deficit with finishes of 87 and 24. Cross made it 5-3 with a 15 dart leg finishing on 81. Joyce then turned the game around to snatch a 6-5 victory with some top class finishing, taking out 108, 74 and 110 in legs of 15, 14 and 15 darts. Cross averaged 100.24. Joyce averaged 102.81.

Joyce went on to lose 6-4 to James Wade in the last 16.

Michael van Gerwen claimed his fourth Players Championship title of the year by beating Scott Taylor 6-4 in the final.