Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance 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, taking part in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, extended his remarkable 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.
âItâs not a fairytale â I am fully aware of what I can do and itâs nice to demonstrate it up there,â Hood stated in his on-stage interview. âThe only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. Iâm not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.â
Setting the Tone with Electrifying Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions 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 stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances 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 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.
âThereâs a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,â confessed Clayton. âEvery time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didnât play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but thatâs what pressure does to you.â
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.