Underdog Justin Hood delivered a dazzling performance at the PDC World Darts Championship, setting a new record with 11 consecutive doubles on his way 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, missing his first double only when serving for the match while leading 2-0 in the fourth set. He confidently sealed the win with a 119 finish in the very next leg, securing a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and bringing him one step closer to realizing his dream of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Reflecting on his sensational run, Hood said in his on-stage interview, “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 by claiming the first set with an 11-dart break of throw, leaving 11th seed Rock astonished as he surged to victory with a 101 average and an impressive ten 180s.
Meanwhile, Jonny Clayton solidified his position as the world number four by storming back from a set down to defeat Sweden’s Andreas Harrysson in the last 16. Harrysson missed crucial opportunities, including four darts to regains the lead at 3-2, which ultimately cost him the match.
Clayton said, “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.”
Krzysztof Ratajski also advanced to the quarter-finals with a 4-2 victory over Luke Woodhouse, rounding out a thrilling day of competition at Alexandra Palace.