'It's disastrous for your image': Rob Cross tax drama bound to affect his game

Rob Cross is a shadow of the player who once lit up the oche, and according to former professional Vincent van der Voort, his recent conviction for tax evasion is playing a major role in his dip in form.

"Something like that gets in your head—it’s bound to affect your game," Van der Voort said on the latest episode of the Darts Draait Door podcast.

The 34-year-old endured a crushing 6-0 defeat to American Danny Lauby at the US Darts Masters last weekend, a result Van der Voort attributes to the mental toll of Cross’s legal troubles. The 2018 World Champion was recently found guilty of failing to pay over half a million euros in taxes—a scandal that has dominated headlines.

"You can act like it’s no big deal, and he’ll no doubt sort it out, but it definitely leaves a mark," Van der Voort explained. "It’s disastrous for your image. The newspapers are full of it, and you can see he’s struggling to find the right mindset."

A Temporary Setback?

Despite the turmoil, Van der Voort believes Cross can bounce back: "Give it a few tournaments. It's understandable that things aren’t clicking right now. This has been brewing for some time, but now that it’s public, the pressure is even greater. The reactions come flooding in, and that inevitably has an effect."

Cross’s struggles are reflected in the PDC world rankings. Once ranked fourth ahead of this year's Premier League, the man known as "Voltage" has now slipped to tenth—what Van der Voort sees as a direct consequence of the off-stage distractions.

"That downward trend had already started, but now the decline is accelerating."

Still, Van der Voort remains confident in Cross’s long-term prospects: "He’s a fantastic player—he’s already achieved so much. But right now, he’s rarely seen as one of the elite contenders. That’s the reality."