Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Rout
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 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, taking part in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended 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. Unfazed, he regrouped 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 nice to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning 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 charged to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to fourth 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 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,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion 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 prestigious last eight of the championship.
