Surprise Package Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unheard-of 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 Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, extended his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage 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 absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting a fightback 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 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. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses 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 elite last eight of the championship.
