In a display 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 Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended his sensational tournament run. His perfect doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 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 only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing 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 formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 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 confirmed his ascent to fourth in the global rankings after mounting a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, after establishing 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,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls 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.
