Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Rout
In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of 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 Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the top-tier professional circuit, extended his remarkable tournament run. His perfect doubling streak only ended when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 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 prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Setting the Tone with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent 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, after establishing 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 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 throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals
Joining them in the quarter-final stage 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 prestigious last eight of the championship.