🔗 Share this article

In a performance that rewrote the history 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 prestigious World Darts Championship.

A Dream Debut on the Grandest Arena

The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier 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. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.

“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”

Setting the Tone with Blistering Start

Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's number 11, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This historic win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent 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 ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.

“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding 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 Last Eight

Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.