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In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.

A Dream Debut on the Grandest Arena

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 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 am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”

Setting the Tone with Blistering Start

Hood sent an early message about 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 awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of opening 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 engineering a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.

The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, after establishing 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 moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what the occasion 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 prestigious last eight of the championship.