Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering 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 maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended 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 composed himself to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Setting the Tone with Electrifying Start
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless 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 Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified 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 ultimately paid the price 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 one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what pressure 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.
