In a display that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented 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.
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 was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Undaunted, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next 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 post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge 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 stormed 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 avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent 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 was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
A financial analyst with over a decade of experience in trading and market research, specializing in technical analysis and risk management.