Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unprecedented 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 Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended 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 regrouped to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by winning 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, 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 brings him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances 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 was made to regret for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
