In a display 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 last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak only ended when he had a chance 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 very next leg.
āThis isn't a storybook ā I am fully aware of what I can do and itās nice to prove it up there,ā Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. āThe only time I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. Iām unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.ā
Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his ascent to fourth in the global rankings after engineering a comeback from a set down to defeat Andreas Harrysson 4-2.
The Swedish contender ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
āThereās a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,ā admitted Clayton. āEvery time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didnāt play my best darts and had many loose attempts, but thatās what pressure does to you.ā
Joining them in the quarter-final stage is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
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