Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unprecedented 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 Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he composed himself to secure 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 nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed 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 failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls 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, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
