🔗 Share this article

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 prestigious World Darts Championship.

A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage

The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he had a chance 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.

“It’s not a fairytale – I know 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 a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”

Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start

Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Advances 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 failing to capitalize on key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing 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 tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”

Ratajski Rolls into Quarter-Finals

Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.