Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Rout
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 commanding 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, continued 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. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate 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 not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to fourth 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 subsequently wasting 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,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
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 prestigious last eight of the championship.
