Underdog Justin Hood Smashes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Thrashing
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unprecedented feat of 11 consecutive doubles, powering his way to a dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the prestigious 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, continued his sensational tournament run. His perfect doubling streak only ended when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he composed himself to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
āThis isn't a storybook ā I am fully aware of what I can do and itās nice to demonstrate it up there,ā Hood stated in his on-stage interview. āThe only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. Iām not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.ā
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, posting 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 edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting 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.
āThereās a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,ā confessed Clayton. āWhenever I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didnāt play my top darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but thatās what pressure does to you.ā
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
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 prestigious last eight of the championship.