Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history 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 Dream Debut on the Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended his sensational 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 regrouped to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a life-changing 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 solidified 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 ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting 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 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, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.
