Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His perfect 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 following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Grueling Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent 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, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
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 elite last eight of the championship.