Hood’s record-setting victory eliminates Rock as Clayton withstands challenge
Justin Hood delivered an extraordinary performance at the World Darts Championship, achieving 11 consecutive doubles without a miss, culminating in a 4-0 triumph over Josh Rock in the last 16. Hood went 11 out of 11 on doubles while leading 3-0 in sets and 2-0 in legs, coming up just one dart short of a flawless match by missing a shot at double 16. Despite this, he broke the previous PDC record of 10/11 doubles held by Jonny Clayton, which was set during the 2021 World Masters final against James Wade.
World Championship Round Four Results: Tuesday, December 30
Afternoon Session
Luke Woodhouse
2-4
Krzysztof Ratajski
Jonny Clayton
4-2
Andreas Harrysson
Justin Hood
4-0
Josh Rock
“It’s not a fairytale. I’m aware of my capabilities, and it’s rewarding to showcase them here,” Hood, who made his debut at Alexandra Palace, expressed to Sky Sports Darts after his victory. “I was focused on the doubles, as it was displayed on the screen! The only moment I felt some nerves was while I was throwing to seal it in the second-to-last leg.
“It’s quite overwhelming. This isn’t something I’m accustomed to. Generally, I receive negative messages. This is incredible.”
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Justin Hood shares his reaction to his remarkable win over Josh Rock in the World Darts Championship round of 16
Rock observed in disbelief for most of the match, as Hood could do no wrong. Yet, the Northern Irish player nearly took the first two sets to deciding legs, only to lose both while the audience started to recognize that they were witnessing something extraordinary. Hood swiftly claimed the third set 3-1 in legs and then took the initial two legs of the fourth set, standing on the brink of darting perfection.
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Hood mentions plans to open a Chinese takeaway, now that he has secured at least £100,000 by reaching the quarter-finals.
Nevertheless, he missed D16 on a 143 checkout and subsequently lost the leg after three more attempts before winning the next leg, extending his impressive streak, finishing with a 12/16 record on doubles. The 32-year-old resident of Somerset will face either Michael van Gerwen or Gary Anderson in the quarter-finals, with the two former world champions set to compete on Tuesday night, live on Sky Sports Darts.
Durrant: I’m feeling goosebumps after that display
Sky Sports Darts’ Glen Durrant remarked, “I’ve literally got goosebumps just speaking with you. 11/11 on the doubles, and then he almost nails the 143 to finish it. It was astonishing.” He added, “There’s a Justin Hood in every town; he just hasn’t had the opportunity until now. We all know how talented he is.” Durrant further stated, “I’ve followed him since the WDF days when he was representing England as a county player. That used to be the route to becoming successful, followed by earning a tour card. This year hasn’t seen him shine on the tour, but he’s performed adequately. Yet, place him on that stage, and he thrives. He’s hit a hot streak at the perfect moment, and I’m truly delighted for him.”
Clayton evades upset against tenacious Harrysson
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Jonny Clayton executed a decisive 141 checkout against Andreas Harrysson in their fourth-round encounter
Fifth-seed Jonny Clayton successfully navigated an upset with a 4-2 last-16 win over Swedish newcomer Andreas Harrysson, who challenged his opponent substantially. The initial four sets were evenly contested, featuring three deciding legs, highlighting the tight nature of the match. However, Harrysson fought back and took a 2-0 lead in the fifth set before missing three darts that could have clinched the set against Clayton. Clayton regained his footing, held throw, and capitalized on four additional missed set darts from Harrysson to clinch the set in the final leg. All five legs in the sixth and final set were on throw, allowing Clayton to advance to the quarter-finals where he will face Ryan Searle.
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Witness as Harrysson achieves two remarkable ton-plus checkouts against Clayton
“There’s a lot on my mind, certainly moving up to world No 4 was among the considerations, and credit to Andreas, he kept hitting doubles every time I glanced up,” Clayton, currently secured a spot in the Premier League Darts rankings due to being in the top four on the PDC leaderboard, shared with Sky Sports Darts. “That match was challenging. Admittedly, I didn’t deliver my best performance; there were several loose darts, but that’s the effect pressure has on players. And that’s exactly what Andreas did, kept the pressure on me throughout.”
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Luke Woodhouse came painfully close to achieving a nine-darter during his matchup with Krzysztof Ratajski
Poland’s number one, Krzysztof Ratajski, is set for his second appearance in the quarter-finals after defeating Luke Woodhouse 4-2, earning a face-off against Luke Littler. Woodhouse nearly became the second player after Gary Anderson to come just one dart shy of a nine-darter in the third set, but ultimately lost both the leg and the set. Although he managed to pull a set back to tie it at 2-2, he seemed unable to fully recover from that surge of adrenaline as Ratajski claimed six out of eight legs to secure the victory. Who will triumph in the Paddy Power World Darts Championship? View every match exclusively live until this Saturday on Sky Sports’ dedicated darts channel (Sky channel 407).
Published: 2025-12-30 16:45:00
source: www.skysports.com
