Rob Cross beats Michael van Gerwen in the European Championship final (Picture: Kais Bodensieck/PDC Europe)

Darts results: Rob Cross wins European Championship title as Michael van Gerwen's heroics against Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall were in vain

By Sporting Life

Darts

Mon October 18, 2021 · 3y ago

Rob Cross won the European Championship title after an 11-8 victory over Michael van Gerwen, who had earlier beaten Gerwyn Price and Nathan Aspinall in epic encounters in Salzburg.

Voltage hadn't even gone beyond a quarter-final of a major since lifting this trophy back in 2019 and knew that a first-round exit this weekend would see him tumble all the way down to 24 in the PDC's Order of Merit.

But he ended a memorable tournament by defeating MVG for just the fifth time in his career at the 26th attempt to claim the fourth major of his career, while he now rises up to 11th in the ranking.

The 2019 World Matchplay champion, who also reached his maiden major final in this event back in 2017 just months before stunning van Gerwen en route to the world title, only averaged 92.91 but it was enough to fend off a tired performance from the favourite following his exertions in the previous rounds against Gerwyn Price (10-8) and Nathan Aspinall (11-10).

MVG averaged well over 100 in both of those games but could only manage 93.66 against Cross despite hitting six of the 10 180s in the match and also landing the highest checkout of 138.

That was largely down to his woeful doubling, as he missed 27 of his 35 attempts as Voltage pinned 11 of his 30, which also included the bullseye to take out 123 in the fifth leg.

"It's nice to win again after the last 18 months, which has probably been the hardest time of my life," said Cross, who also defeated Jose de Sousa and Joe Cullen on Finals Day as he collected a cheque for £120,000.

"I have to dedicate this to my family, friends, management and sponsors who have stood by me and been incredibly supportive.

"I love playing in Austria, I've got a great record here. I love the people, I'd play here every week if I could.

"Granted, I didn't play my best tonight, and I'm thankful that Michael wasn't himself in the final. You have to take chances when they are presented to you."

The 31-year-old has now sealed a place in November's Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts and added: "I think this is going to be a turning point for me, with the confidence it's going to give me I know I'm going to get better over the next few months. I would love to win another World Championship."

Van Gerwen, who was seeking a first ranking title since November 2020 and a fifth European title, said: "When you play like I did in the final then you deserve to lose," Van Gerwen declared in an honest assessment. You can find a million excuses but I have to say I didn't show up in the final, it wasn't good enough and I can only blame myself.

"I am starting to perform a little bit better - except for the final - but I don't like picking up runner-up trophies. It doesn't count for anything, I'm a winner."

SEMI-FINAL REPORT

Michael van Gerwen repelled Nathan Aspinall's incredible comeback with a breathtaking deciding leg of darts to reach his fifth European Championship final.

The world number three looked as though he was cruising into the final of this tournament for the first time since the last of his four titles in 2017 led 7-1 after a blistering start but his gutsy opponent won the next five legs on the spin before missing two darts at double eight to level it up.

MVG responded with a clinical finish from 90 and took the next to open up a 9-6 advantage only for Aspinall to rally once again with three more legs in a row as the enthralled crowd sensed an incredible climax.

Aspinall had one attempt at tops to edge 10-9 ahead but spurned it and although he did go on to level matters again at 10-10, the Dutchman found another gear with back-to-back 180s to run out a brilliant winner.

Van Gerwen's opponent is the 2019 winner Rob Cross, who thrashed a disappointing Joe Cullen 11-3 in a far less entertaining second semi-final.

Voltage headed into the tournament knowing he could tumble all the way down to 25 in the rankings but by reaching the final he will stay in his current position of 15th.

Cross wouldn't have expected this clash to be quite so easy but his average of 96.74 was more than enough to capitalise on Cullen managing just 87 and missing five of his eight darts at doubles.

The Rockstar did at least bring the crowd to its feet in the 10th leg when he finally got off the mark with a 126 checkout.

QUARTER-FINAL REPORT

Michael van Gerwen beat Gerwyn Price in a thrilling European Championship quarter-final as both players averaged over 107 in Salzburg.

In one of the greatest matches in the tournament's history, MVG came from 3-0 and 4-1 down against the world champion to edge a titanic tussle 10-8 in front of a packed Salzburgarena.

The four-time champion, who last lifted this trophy in 2017, averaged 107.74 compared to his opponent's 107.56 while they both threw six 180s apiece and weighed in with a pair of 100+ checkouts.

Price's finishing was more clinical with eight hit from 11 attempts (73%) but two of his misses crucially came in the 17th leg as van Gerwen, who pinned 50% of his doubles, claimed a crucial break before serving out the match.

Price initially stormed into a 3-0 lead with legs of 13, 13 and 12 darts while a superb 11-darter put him 4-1 ahead before Van Gerwen responded in style with legs of 12, 12 and 14 darts to level at four apiece.

The world number one also hit a brilliant 10-dart leg while his 126 finish was sandwiched between the Dutchman's checkouts of 114 and 130 as the latter edged 8-7 ahead.

Price's clinical 82 finish levelled it up again only for MVG to take the next two legs for a stunning win.

ABSOLUTELY INSANE GAME! Price v Van Gerwen | 2021 European Championships

Van Gerwen will next meet Nathan Aspinall, who also came through a thrilling tie with Danny Noppert via a sudden-death leg.

Aspinall bounced back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to lead 6-4 only for the recent World Grand Prix semi-finalist to reel off four successive legs to take an 8-6 advantage.

The Asp responded by taking the next three and although Noppie forced a decider, he pinned double 16 to book his first televised ranking semi-final since the 2020 World Championship.

Aspinall ended the game with a 103.34 average and created a new record for most 180s in a European Championship quarter-final with 11, while Noppert averaged 99.97 and finished 9/13 doubles.

Rob Cross reached his third European Championship semi-final in five years with a surprisingly comfortable 10-5 defeat of a below-par Mensur Suljovic.

Cross dominated the early stages to lead 4-1 and 6-4 before winning three successive legs to move to the brink of victory, which he sealed with a 93.91 averaged compared to his opponent's 94.7.

Voltage will face Joe Cullen, who defeated home favourite Mensur Suljovic 10-7 to reach his second European Championship semi-final.

He opened with a 104 checkout in a 12-dart leg as he created an early 3-0 lead, before Suljovic took out 102 as he claimed five of the next six.

Suljovic also led 6-5, but Cullen produced legs of 13, 14 and 11 darts to move back ahead and closed out victory to continue his bid to claim a first televised title.