In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off 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 prestigious World Darts Championship.
A Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the top-tier 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. Unfazed, he regrouped to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match 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. Usually, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying 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 number 11, little to do but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 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, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming 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 top darts and had a lot of 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 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.
