Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.
A Dream Debut on the Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a fightback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
