In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the elite World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His perfect doubling streak finally concluded when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he regrouped 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 incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
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, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 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 avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent 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 ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
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