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In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a commanding 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, competing in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure 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 incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated 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 negative comments. This is mad.”

Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start

Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.

This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.

The Swedish contender was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.

“A number of things on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”

Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight

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, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.