Surprise Package Justin Hood Smashes Record with Astonishing 11 Straight Doubles in Global Showdown Rout
In a performance 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 Fairytale Start on the Grandest Arena
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued 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 regrouped to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following 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 a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise 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 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.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.