In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he was throwing 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.
“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”
Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning 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, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent to fourth in the global rankings after mounting a fightback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price for failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led 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 hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best 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 pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.