Rob Cross revealed that he was forced to leave his Dutch Darts Masters trophy behind in Den Bosch, because it would not fit in his suitcase on the way home.
Voltage defeated Stephen Bunting 9-5 in the final to cap off a stunning week in the Netherlands, holding the large trophy aloft to a buoyant crowd inside the Maaspoort.
However, Cross feared that he was going to injure himself in the celebrations by waving around the Toon Greebe Trophy, which was too big for his luggage allowance on the way back to the UK.
“There is one other trophy that is a bit heavier and that’s the Worlds,” Cross explained. “I thought I was going to pull a muscle when I lifted it. I thought: ‘Don’t do it!’
“It nearly slipped out of my hand. But it’s amazing to come here and win. We turn up and play all over the world. If you are not winning, it doesn’t mean anything. This is special.
“I don’t think I have room for it to take home. Anyone got a spare case? It’s very heavy…”
There is a short turnaround for Cross, who is back in action in Milton Keynes as he takes on a qualifier in the newly-revamped World Masters.
But Cross is unphased by the constant travel that the biggest stars are subjected to, knowing that it is not a requirement and the likes of Gary Anderson and Gerwyn Price have made no issue of avoiding certain events.
“Sometimes I’m not always at my best but I still get results,” he added. “No-one has a gun to their head. This sport is not a matter of life or death. Go out there and enjoy it. Embrace it.
“Name me another sport where you go up on stage as an individual and get treated like that. It’s truly amazing. I cannot get that buzz anywhere in life. I shouldn’t tell my missus that. I have four kids. You have gotten me a divorce now!”
“I had to break a sweat to win this one. I love the World Series. I’m very fond to it. I enjoy going around the world.
“As much as we might all moan here and there about the flights, without it I’d have an average job and be another person, who would carry on working the way I was.
“I always say I can beat the best players in the world – but I can also lose to Mickey Mouse tomorrow morning.
“I love the TV lights. I am a bit guilty at the ProTours, behind closed doors, it is a bit harder to get up for them. Every TV tournament I want to win and play well.”
