Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His perfect doubling streak finally concluded when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to fourth in the global rankings after mounting a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.