Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering 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 Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – 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 unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do 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 ÂŁ100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise 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, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
