Underdog Justin Hood delivered a sensational performance at the PDC World Darts Championship, setting a new record with 11 consecutive doubles en route to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 at Alexandra Palace.
The 32-year-old debutant from Glastonbury showcased remarkable composure and skill throughout the match. He only missed his first double while aiming to close out the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set, before stepping back to hit a decisive 119 finish in the following leg. This victory not only catapulted Hood into the quarter-finals but also guaranteed him a career-best payday of at least £100,000, bringing him a step closer to realizing his dream of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Reflecting on his unprecedented run during his on-stage interview, Hood said, “It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there. The only time I had a bit of nerves was when I was throwing the leg before (the last one). I’m not used to this. I usually get hate messages. This is mad.”
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Hood set the tone early, breaking throw with an impressive 11-dart leg to claim the opening set, leaving 11th seed Rock in awe as he surged to victory with a 101 average and ten 180s.
The tournament also saw Jonny Clayton confirm his rise to fourth in the world rankings by overcoming Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson in a tense last-16 encounter. After falling behind by a set, Clayton battled back to win 4-3, capitalizing on Harrysson’s missed darts and missed opportunities.
Clayton commented, “There’s a lot of things on my mind and moving to world number four was one of them. Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting doubles. It was tough, I didn’t play my best and had a lot of loose darts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Additionally, Krzysztof Ratajski secured his spot in the quarter-finals with a solid 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, rounding out an exciting and unpredictable round of the championship.