"Just win a game!": Josh Rock searching for simple Premier League spark as UK Open run continues

For Josh Rock, reaching the quarter-finals of the UK Open Darts Championship was a moment to celebrate — but the Northern Irishman was quick to admit his performance was far from his best.

Rock secured his place in the last eight with a 10–7 win over Stephen Bunting after what he described as a long and draining day at the tournament. “Obviously I’m delighted,” Rock said after the match. “I’m in the quarter-final of the UK Open. But I think me and Bunting looked very tired up there. We didn’t perform the way we can.”

The UK Open’s unique draw format means players often face long waits between matches — something Rock said contributed to the strange rhythm of the contest. “It’s a long day when you’re on at half-past two,” he explained. “Then you’ve got quite a few hours to wait and then you’re on again. And you don’t know when you’re playing because of the way the draw is.”

Despite progressing, Rock felt the match never really reached a high level. "I’m delighted with the win,” he said. “But I wish me and Bunting did even better for the fans.”

The 23-year-old is also adjusting to life in the Premier League Darts for the first time this season.

While his start to the campaign has been difficult — including a recent defeat to teenage star Luke Littler — Rock believes his first win in the competition is only a matter of time.

“It’s just been quite unfortunate, especially last week against Luke,” he said. "But the win’s going to come.”

Rock added that the Premier League schedule has been an adjustment, though he is still enjoying the experience. "It’s brand new for me,” he said. “Obviously we’re getting used to it. Gian has maybe got used to it quicker than me. But I’m still enjoying the Premier League.”

Rock was also asked about the influence of John O'Shea, who has been supporting him recently. While joking that the partnership has not yet brought immediate results, Rock spoke highly of their relationship. “Well, it’s not helping currently, does it?” he laughed.

“I don’t know. The bond me and Jon O’Shea have is obviously fantastic. There’s a lot of sense there that no-one really realises, so I’ve spent a lot of time learning from him.”

Reflecting on the match itself, Rock admitted neither player ever found their rhythm. “It was a struggle from start to finish,” he said.

Bunting and Rock both produced bursts of scoring but struggled to maintain momentum. “He’d hit a 180 and then go 60 and 66,” Rock explained. “Then I’d hit 177 and go 60, 59 and 68. It was just a strange game.”

Rock said fatigue played a major role in the quality of the match. “It just felt like very tiring darts,” he said. "He was pulling into the five because he goes across a bit, and I’m more left-central and was going into the ones.”

Earlier in the day Rock had played on an outer board before returning to the main stage later in the evening — a switch some players find difficult. But for Rock, the transition makes little difference. “It doesn’t affect my play at all,” he said.

“I play on one of the biggest stages in the world — you just have to get used to it.”

With the quarter-final now ahead of him, Rock hopes a night’s rest will help him perform at a higher level. “It just felt very tiring,” he said. "So I’ll get a good night’s sleep and hopefully it helps for tomorrow."