Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a display that etched his name in the record 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 Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded 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 superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying 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 not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
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, little to do but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 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 avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to fourth 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 squandering 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 becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.