Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of 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 Biggest Stage
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 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.
“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. 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 firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to fourth in the global rankings after mounting 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 subsequently wasting four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted 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 the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.
