"Everyone has bad days and if it happens in this tournament..." - Rob Cross unsurprised by early big name exits at 2024 World Grand Prix

Rob Cross remains on course for a first ever victory at the World Grand Prix. 'Voltage' was a 3-1 winner over Martin Schindler in the second round and now gets to take on Ryan Joyce, who surprisingly eliminated Nathan Aspinall on Wednesday night in Leicester.

In the past, Cross has never managed to get past the second round at the World Grand Prix, so before the start of this tournament wasn't necessarily among the fancied names. Now though, he is suddenly in the quarter-finals and very much in the mix for the title. “I’ve had a lot of trials and tribulations at this tournament, so it’s an amazing feeling to be in the quarter-finals,” assessed Cross post-match, having already knocked out pre-tournament favourite Luke Littler in the opening round, earlier in the week.

With some big names such as Michael Van Gerwen, the aforementioned Littler, Michael Smith, Peter Wright and Nathan Aspinall having already been eliminated from the unique double-in, double-out event, this might turn out to be Cross' best chance at going deep in a tournament he'd only ever won two matches at, prior to this year.

"I'm a massive that everyone's a warrior on Tour. It doesn't matter if you're playing 128 in the world he's still knocking in a 99 or 101 average," Cross says, not looking too far ahead just yet. "I think we see shocks all the time and it's just something to get used to. Everyone has bad days and if it happens in this tournament, you're likely to go home."

As mentioned, Cross will take now take on Ryan Joyce in the quarterfinals. “I’ve started to feel a bit more comfortable at times this year, so that’s improvement, and things are going in the right direction," Cross concludes. “I’m looking forward to Friday now. Ryan is a really strong finisher, and he reminds me a little bit of myself. I will have to improve, but I’m going to put everything into that game."

The winner of the duel between Cross and Joyce will take on the winner of the match between Luke Humphries and Jonny Clayton in the semifinals.