Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance that etched his name in the record 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 elite World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his sensational 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 regrouped to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – 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 on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's number 11, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to fourth in the global rankings after mounting a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
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.