Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Rout
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 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 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 secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
āThis isn't a storybook ā I know what I can do and itās nice to demonstrate it up there,ā Hood stated in his post-match interview. āThe sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. Iām unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.ā
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled 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, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise 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 ultimately paid the price 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.
āA number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,ā confessed Clayton. āEvery time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didnāt play my best darts and had a lot of loose throws, but thatās what pressure does to you.ā
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.