Underdog Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
A Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His perfect doubling streak only ended 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 very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to fourth 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 squandering 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 becoming world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best 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 quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
