In a display that etched his name in the record 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 elite World Darts Championship.
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 finally concluded 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.
“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning 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, registering a impressive 101 average and firing in 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 stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose throws, 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, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
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