Surprise Package Justin Hood Smashes Record with Stunning 11 Straight Doubles in World Championship Rout
In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of 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 Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he had a chance to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he regrouped to clinCH 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 incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage 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 negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do 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 £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.
Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise 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, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.
