Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a display 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 elite World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational tournament run. His perfect doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, 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 remarked 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. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge 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 stormed to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and hammering 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 opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to fourth in the global rankings after engineering a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price 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.
“A number of things on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time 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 throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the quarter-final stage 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.