Justin Hood from Glastonbury has kept his dream debut run alive at the PDC World Darts Championship, advancing to the last 16 after a confident 4-1 victory over Ryan Meikle. Despite not matching the brilliance of his previous round—where he averaged an impressive 103 against fifth seed Danny Noppert—Hood displayed resilience and composure to secure the win.
Hood quickly established dominance by taking the first three sets, before Meikle responded with remarkable 146 and 147 finishes to claim the fourth. Hood ultimately closed out the match, averaging 94.68 compared to Meikle’s 95.40, although he landed only 13 of 40 double attempts. He now faces either Josh Rock or Callan Rydz in the next round.
The championship has also seen the rise of 20-year-old Charlie Manby, a bricklayer from Huddersfield, who reached the last 16 after defeating Ricky Evans 4-2 at Alexandra Palace. Despite early struggles with doubles—hitting just four of his first 30 attempts—Manby regained control and confidence to secure a significant victory. He is guaranteed £60,000 and will face European champion Gian van Veen, who dispatched Latvia’s Madars Razma 4-1 to advance.
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Manby expressed respect for his upcoming opponent, noting van Veen’s fast-paced style and his own readiness to bring his “A-game” to the quarter-final stage.
Another notable upset came from world number 40 Kevin Doets, who stunned 15th seed Nathan Aspinall in a thrilling 4-3 encounter. Doets, a Dutchman, overturned the scoreline multiple times, including a decisive 164 checkout to clinch the final set 3-0. His victory secures a last-16 matchup against 2024 world champion Luke Humphries.
The PDC World Darts Championship continues to deliver intense and surprising action as emerging talents like Hood, Manby, and Doets make their mark.