"He’s given a lot to the game. I hope he can come back" - Rob Cross has mixed emotions after sweeping aside below par Peter Wright

Rob Cross has qualified for the knockout phase of the 2024 Grand Slam of Darts. The 34-year-old Englishman defeated Peter Wright 5-1 in his final group match to finish second behind Martin Lukeman in Group C.

Cross was in a good position to qualify for the next round after a win in his opening match against Leonard Gates and a defeat in his second match against Martin Lukeman. 'Snakebite' still had a slim chance of going through, but would have to win 5-0 or 5-1 against 'Voltage'. However, the encounter was prematurely decided by Cross, who took a 2-1 lead with a 14-darter to secure the second spot. Wright's resistance was also broken. Cross easily won the next three legs to beat his Scottish opponent 5-1.

“I was playing a legend of the game,” reflected Cross in post-match press conference, clearly struggling to see Wright have so much difficulty. “"I had a good chat before and I normally never talk to an opponent before I go on. I'm disciplined, professional. I would always give Pete that time and I had a good chat with him before I went on. I'm not going to say what was mentioned but he's not quite there at the minute and he deserves more. Peter’s not at his best. He’s a two-time World Champion, he’s a great man and he’s given a lot to the game. I hope he can come back. I hope he can rebuild.”

In the last 16, Cross will take on the very inform Ritchie Edhouse, who recently won his first TV title at the 2024 European Championship. "Ritchie is currently at 100 percent of his ability, I'm at 75," he assesses. "I wasn’t at my best tonight, but it’s great to be through. It’s a longer format now so I can relax a little bit, and I’ll be ready to go on Wednesday."

Meanwhile, world number one Luke Humphries is out of the tournament. "Unbelievable," Cross says, perhaps sensing an opportunity.

UK fans can use Sky Sports during the Grand Slam of Darts. As usual, the tournament begins with a group stage with eight pools of four players each. The group stage takes place from Saturday through Tuesday, with all players playing three times.

The top two players from each group will advance to the knockout phase. Starting Wednesday, Nov. 13, the knockout phase will begin with the first matches of the final sixteen. This round will be completed on Thursday, Nov. 14. The quarterfinals will be played on Friday, Nov. 15 and Saturday, Nov. 16, before the semifinals and finals are finished on Sunday, Nov. 17.