Surprise Package Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved 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, extended his sensational tournament run. His perfect doubling streak finally concluded 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 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 on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge 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, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Grueling Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed 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 squandering 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,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; 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 Last Eight
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, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.