Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering 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 Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued 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. Undaunted, he regrouped to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting 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 re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted 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 throws, but that’s what the occasion 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, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.