Rob Cross has beaten Nathan Aspinall with a 102 average to reach the Slovak Darts Open semi-finals in Bratislava. The 2018 world champion moved through on finals night at the Incheba Expo, taking one of the first semi-final places at the inaugural Slovak Darts Open.
The result continues Cross’s sharp European Tour weekend after he had already edged Kevin Doets 6-5 in the last 16 earlier on Sunday. Aspinall had reached the quarter-finals in emphatic fashion, whitewashing Ryan Searle 6-0, but Cross raised the level again when the tournament moved into the evening session.
Cross strengthens his Bratislava title push
The latest update means Cross is now two wins away from the title and the £35,000 first prize attached to the ninth European Tour event of the season. His quarter-final win was reported by DartsNews.com in its live Slovak Darts Open coverage.
Cross’s timing is significant because the Bratislava draw had already opened up. Michael van Gerwen, Gian van Veen, Gerwyn Price, Jonny Clayton and Stephen Bunting were all out before the semi-final stage, leaving Cross as one of the biggest remaining names in the field.
For Aspinall, the defeat ends a promising return to European Tour action after a dominant last-16 display. For Cross, the combination of scoring power and late-session authority gives him clear momentum heading into the final stretch of the night.
