In the electrified world of professional darts, where every throw can rewrite legacies and shatter records, few stories capture the imagination quite like the unexpected alliances formed in the shadows of the oche. As the festive lights of London’s Alexandra Palace flicker to life for the 2025/26 PDC World Darts Championship, one of the sport’s battle-hardened veterans, Rob Cross—known to fans as “Voltage”—has stepped into the spotlight not for his own arsenal of 180s, but for a candid confession that reveals the softer side of a man who’s stared down giants.
Cross, the 2018 world champion whose career has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and tenacious comebacks, arrived at the PDC Media Day earlier this week looking every bit the resilient warrior. His salt-and-pepper stubble and easy grin masked the frustrations of a season that saw him sidelined from key events like the Grand Slam of Darts. Yet, amid the pre-tournament buzz, it was a revelation about a rising star from the women’s game that stole the show. In a moment of unguarded honesty, Cross admitted to breaking one of his most steadfast personal rules: he tuned in to watch darts on television. And not just any darts—the explosive performances of 21-year-old sensation Beau Greaves.
“I actually watched her,” Cross revealed, his voice carrying a mix of awe and reluctance, as if confessing to a guilty pleasure. For a player who famously avoids the screen altogether—”Not for research, not for homework, not for enjoyment,” he often quips—this was no small admission. Cross, a self-proclaimed analog soul in a digital age, prefers the raw intensity of live competition over the glow of a broadcast. But Greaves? She was the exception that pierced his armor. “I’ve not admitted that to anyone,” he added with a sheepish chuckle, the words hanging in the air like a perfectly aimed dart mid-flight.
What made Greaves so irresistible? It wasn’t just her pinpoint accuracy or the way she dismantles opponents with the cool precision of a surgeon. No, Cross was captivated by those “ridiculous, cosmic-level scoring bursts” that seem to erupt from her board like fireworks on New Year’s Eve. At just 21, Greaves has already etched her name into darts folklore. The Doncaster native stormed to back-to-back WDF Women’s World Championship titles, defending her crown at Lakeside with a dominance that left commentators scrambling for superlatives. Her averages routinely flirt with the triple digits, and her checkout percentages read like a veteran’s highlight reel. But it’s her fearless forays into mixed-gender events that have truly ignited debates—and dreams—across the sport.
Take her recent PDC Women’s Series rampage: Greaves swept through the fields with such authority that even her detractors were forced to applaud. She clinched her spot in the World Championship by earning a coveted PDC Tour Card in October, a move that catapults her into the men’s professional circuit for the first time. Suddenly, the barriers that once confined women’s darts to side stages are crumbling. Greaves isn’t just competing; she’s conquering. “She’s the best female darts player of all time,” declared Marcel Althaus, a fellow pro, in a recent discussion that underscored her unparalleled talent. Deta Hedman, the trailblazing woman who first toppled a male opponent in a televised major, echoed the sentiment: “The best ladies player in history.” And Chris Murphy, host of the ‘Love The Darts’ podcast, put it bluntly: “Beau has dominated the women’s series and dominated women’s darts across all codes that she is allowed to play in.”
Cross’s endorsement carries extra weight, coming from a man who’s been there, done that—the electric atmosphere of Ally Pally, the roar of 3,000 fans chanting your name, the crushing weight of expectation. He sees in Greaves not just skill, but an unquenchable fire. “Her ceiling is limitless,” he declared, his eyes lighting up as he dissected her game. “It’s only a matter of time before she bulldozes her way into deep major runs.” Imagine it: a young woman from the steel-towns of South Yorkshire holding her own against the likes of Luke Littler or Michael van Gerwen, her arrows slicing through the air with the velocity of a thunderstorm. Cross envisions her thriving in the high-stakes cauldron of the PDC, where every leg is a war and every finish a victory lap.
Of course, Greaves’s ascent hasn’t been without turbulence. She’s navigated “stupid” scheduling conflicts that forced her to choose between world titles, venting frustration at rules that pit women’s events against the men’s juggernauts. “I wouldn’t go and win Ally Pally but I’d give it a good crack,” she once said, her humility belying the steel in her resolve. And whispers of controversy—bizarre transgender jabs from online trolls—have only fueled her determination. Yet, through it all, she’s remained focused, admitting that a full PDC Tour Card is “on my agenda for the future.” Her debut at this World Championship, drawn against Northern Ireland’s Daryl Gurney in the first round, marks the dawn of a new era. For the first time, a woman steps onto the Alexandra Palace stage not as a novelty, but as a legitimate contender, with betting odds placing her ahead of legends like Cross himself, Peter Wright, and Raymond van Barneveld.
As for Cross, his own path to redemption winds through a tough draw against Ian White in round one—a match he won convincingly 3-0 on Thursday, ending a skid that had him joking, “Peter Rabbit would beat me at the minute.” His form has been a grind this year, plagued by motivation dips and the gnawing question of longevity. “If you push all the buttons and it’s not good enough, then you’ve got to do something else,” he reflected candidly. “But it’s not at that point—not even close. Retirement isn’t an option. Nowhere near.” That spontaneous spark—the one that saw him average a dismal 78 in Bahrain only to claim the Dutch Darts Masters the next week—is flickering back to life. With renewed prep and a record £3.5 million prize fund dangling like a treble 20, Cross is doubling down. “I’m a bit spontaneous,” he grinned, “but the prep is key.”
In the grand tapestry of darts, where underdogs become icons and prodigies redefine boundaries, Cross’s quiet nod to Greaves feels like a passing of the torch. He’s not just watching a player; he’s witnessing the future. As the World Championship unfolds over the next two weeks—filled with showdowns like Littler vs. Humphries and Van Gerwen’s quest for a sixth crown—this unlikely bromance adds a layer of heart to the high drama. Greaves, with her bright future and boundless potential, represents hope for a sport evolving faster than a 170 checkout. And Cross? He’s the grizzled guide, whispering encouragement from the wings, ready to cheer her on. In a game of precision and passion, sometimes the biggest throws are the ones made off the board.
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