Josh Rock has confessed that nerves overwhelmed him during his Premier League Darts debut, describing it as "the most nervous I have been in a very long time." The 24-year-old from Antrim made his first appearance in the prestigious travelling tournament in Newcastle, where he fell 6-2 to Jonny Clayton on opening night. Despite averaging 102 in what he called a "fantastic game," Rock acknowledged Clayton was the better player, adding, "I still played well, averaging 102, and lost. Jonny played well and I still lost."
Reflecting on the occasion, Rock admitted the pressure got to him, saying, "There was a little bit of pressure. I felt it a bit because it was my debut." However, he remains optimistic about his next outing, stating, "I think in Antwerp I will be fine because I have got the monkey off my back and I have done it." The world number nine, who started the year with a quarter-final at the Winmau World Masters where he was knocked out by Luke Littler, emphasized his long-term ambitions, noting he switched to Target equipment to accelerate his career and aims to win "individual major titles."
Beyond the Premier League, Rock recently performed at an event in Edmiston House alongside Rob Cross for the Rangers Charity Foundation, calling it a "dream come true" as a big Rangers fan. He also looks ahead to the World Cup of Darts, where he and Daryl Gurney will defend Northern Ireland's title, hoping to "get two stars on that shirt this year." Rock is back in action on Thursday in Antwerp, facing Michael van Gerwen on Night 2, seeking to prove his debut nerves are behind him.
