Surprise Package Justin Hood Smashes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off 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 elite World Darts Championship.
A Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended 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 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 only time I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings 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 ascent 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 ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing 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 among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Last Eight
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, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.