Rob Cross completed a World Series double Down Under with a crushing 8-1 victory over home favourite Damon Heta at the 2023 PalmerBet New South Wales Darts Masters.
Cross, who celebrated victory at last weekend’s NZ Darts Masters, made it back-to-back titles with an emphatic victory over Australian number one Heta in Wollongong.
Heta famously defeated Cross to win the Brisbane Darts Masters in 2019, but there was to be no repeat at the WIN Entertainment Centre, as the 2018 world champion scooped the £20,000 top prize.
Cross kicked off his campaign with a routine win over DPNZ qualifier John Hurring in Friday’s first round, before defying a ton-plus average from Danny Noppert to win a high-quality quarter-final tie.
The world number five recovered from 4-3 down to end the Dutchman’s spirited resistance, before averaging 109 to whitewash Peter Wright in a sensational semi-final display.
The 32-year-old produced a brace of 11-darters in his rout of two-time world champion Wright, converting 64% of his attempts at double to cap off an imperious performance.
Having won ten legs without reply in reaching Saturday’s showpiece, Cross punished early misses from Heta to establish a commanding 4-0 lead.
The Australian was desperately struggling in the scoring department and Cross capitalised, extending his remarkable run of winning legs to 17 to move a leg away from a whitewash success.
Heta avoided that indignity by taking out a 68 skin-saver with Cross poised on double 18, but this simply delayed the inevitable, as Cross sank double eight moments later to cap off a demolition job.
“It feels fantastic. It’s surreal,” reflected the former World Matchplay champion, who ended his two-year wait for a televised title in Hamilton last weekend.
“The crowd have been brilliant all tournament. I’ve really enjoyed my time in Australia and New Zealand, and I’m very grateful.
“Damon didn’t turn up in the final and I feel for him a little bit, but you’ve still got a job to do.
“I think I’m in a good place after the last couple of weeks. I’m enjoying my darts again.”
Emotional award for Heta
Despite succumbing to Cross in the evening’s finale, Heta’s exploits saw him awarded the Kyle Anderson Memorial Trophy – created to remember the late Australian.
Anderson, a World Series winner at the 2017 Auckland Darts Masters, was a hugely popular figure on the PDC circuit, before sadly passing away two years ago.
“This is massive. This means more to me than winning the title. I’m lost for words,” said an emotional Heta, who was a childhood friend of Anderson’s.
“If it wasn’t for Kyle, I might not even be here. He led the way for myself. He showed us the path, and I’ve stepped up and tried to take over.
“I’m absolutely stoked. This is definitely something I am going to treasure for ever.”
New South Wales Darts Masters: Schedule and results
Quarter-finals
- Damon Heta 6-3 Gerwyn Price
- Dimitri Van den Bergh 6-4 Simon Whitlock
- Peter Wright 6-3 Michael Smith
- Rob Cross 6-4 Danny Noppert
Semi-finals
- Damon Heta 7-6 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Rob Cross 7-0 Peter Wright
Final
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