🔗 Share this article

In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved 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 Biggest Stage

The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended his remarkable tournament run. His perfect 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 superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.

“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”

Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start

Hood immediately signaled 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 stormed to victory, posting a formidable 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 avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Climbs Amid Grueling Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to fourth in the global rankings after engineering 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 regain a one-set lead at 3-2.

“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what pressure 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, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.