Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Stunning 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, powering his way to a dominant 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, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he was throwing 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.
“This isn't a storybook – I know 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 any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, powerless but watch in amazement 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 brings him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Grueling Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to the number four spot 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 squandering 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 moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose throws, 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 pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.