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In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off 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 prestigious World Darts Championship.

A Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage

The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he composed himself to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.

“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”

Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start

Hood immediately signaled his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.

This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to fourth 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 regain 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 finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”

Ratajski Progresses 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 elite last eight of the championship.