Surprise Package Justin Hood Demolishes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of 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 Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational 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 secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – 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 sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning 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 charged to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a fightback 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 regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Whenever 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 the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.