Rob Cross has barely had time to bank the value of his Wigan title before the next ProTour checkpoint arrives.
The PDPA calendar lists Players Championship 23 and Players Championship 24 for Leicester on July 6-7, with entries closing at 2pm GMT on Monday, June 29. For Cross, that deadline lands as more than admin. It locks in the next field after his first Players Championship title of 2026.
Why Leicester now matters
Cross beat Maik Kuivenhoven 8-5 in the Players Championship 22 final, ending his wait for a 2026 ranking title and taking the £15,000 winner’s prize. Leicester now tests whether that was a reset or a short spike.
The PDPA event notes confirm the usual 128-player structure: Tour Card holders enter first, then shortfalls are filled through the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. Registration closes at 11am BST on the day, with play scheduled from 1pm BST.
That creates a narrow window for players around the World Matchplay and ProTour cut-lines. Miss Leicester, and two ranking chances disappear. Hit Leicester in form, and a single deep run can alter the summer picture quickly.
Cross cannot treat this as routine
Cross already has the recent proof. What he needs next is volume: boards won, ranking money added, and no wasted entries before Blackpool.
For a player who has just returned to the winner’s circle, the Leicester deadline is the first practical test of whether the momentum travels.
