Darts star Rob Cross to defend World Matchplay title behind closed doors
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) confirmed last Wednesday that the prestigious televised event will be played without fans present at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes from July 18-26.
It's the first time since being introduced in 1994 that the tournament - generally considered the second-biggest on the PDC calendar - will not be played at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdSEE ALSO Sussex darts star Rob Cross wins Betfred World Matchplay 2019 | 'One of the greatest comebacks we have EVER SEEN on the Winter Gardens stage!' - Twitter goes mad for Rob Cross' comeback | Rob Cross wins the Betfred World Matchplay 2019 - picture special
PDC chief executive Matt Porter said: "This is an unprecedented step for us to take and this tough decision has been made only after exhausting all possible options in a bid to stage the Betfred World Matchplay with a limited crowd in Blackpool."
The World Matchplay will, nonetheless, be the first fully televised PDC competition to be held following the suspension of events due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.
The draw will take place following the conclusion of the final PDC Summer Series event this Sunday (July 12).
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCross is currently set to be the fourth seed in his bid to retain the Phil Taylor Trophy and will therefore be pitted against one of the 16 qualifiers from the one-year ProTour Order of Merit.
The 29-year-old clinched the title last year following an 18-13 victory over Michael Smith in the final, having staged an amazing comeback to defeat Daryl Gurney in the semi-finals.
Cross also won the European Championship in 2019, following on from his memorable 2018 World Championship triumph.
*******
A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton:
In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news, I am asking you to please purchase a copy of our newspapers.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWith the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspapers.
Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.
Stay safe, and best wishes.
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.