Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off 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 elite World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 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 on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw 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 immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a fightback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
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, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
