In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a dominant 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, competing in his maiden season on the premier 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. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of 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 any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Setting the Tone with Electrifying Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees 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 Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified 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 ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
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 elite last eight of the championship.
