Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, extended his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Grueling Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting 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. “Every time 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 Quarter-Finals
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.