In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden 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. Undaunted, he composed himself to secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Hood sent an early message about 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, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified 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, 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 becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.
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