Cross aims to unlock an extra gear in his game (credit:Taylor Lanning)
Rob Cross has revealed he is working on a “secret stamina plan” to boost his staying power in major tournaments.
The 2018 World Champion is in a rich vein of form having won the Betfred World Matchplay in Blackpool last month.
Cross has also reached three other televised finals this year at the UK Open, Premier League and last week’s Brisbane Masters, falling narrowly short on each occasion.
Cross, who now heads to Melbourne for the next leg of the World Series, admits he is happy with his progress so far this season but is confident he has more still to give.
“I think a lot of other players would be happy with reaching four finals,” Cross told Live Darts. “Of course it’s been a good year so far but I know there’s a lot more in the tank.
“I believe I have two or three gears yet to go up. I think I played OK in patches in the Matchplay but nowhere near what I can do.
“There’s a lot more to the game these days than just winning darts matches. I know that sounds daft, but you really have to prepare right.
“The amount of travelling involved sounds so glamorous but trust me it really isn’t. It’s very tiring and I’m learning to live with that.
“I’m working on a secret stamina plan to cope with my life being constantly on the road.
“Some of the other boys have been doing this for a decade or more but this is only my third year, so it’s still new.
“I’m missing being at home with the wife and kids, that’s such a massive thing for me.
“I miss seeing the kids during the day, it’s not something I enjoy at all. But I’m doing this for their future, that’s the way I look at it.”
Cross missed out on back-to-back Brisbane Masters after being denied by home hero Damon Heta in the final, but ‘Voltage’ remains upbeat ahead of his trip to Melbourne.
He added: “Damon was on a roll, it was like a fairy-tale weekend for him. A bit like my World Championship win in 2018, it was like his name was on the trophy.
“He deserved to win totally, he beat a lot of big names on the way as well. He will be a star of the future, definitely.
“I’m still happy that I’m making finals. I need to convert them into wins, I know that. But I feel good momentum right now as we get towards the busy end of the year.”