🔗 Share this article

In a performance 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 last 16 of the elite World Darts Championship.

A Dream Debut on the Grandest Arena

The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his sensational 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. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next 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 post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”

Setting the Tone with Blistering Start

Hood immediately signaled his intentions by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, powerless but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle

In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise 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 failing to capitalize on key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.

“There’s a lot 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 best darts and had a lot of loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”

Ratajski Progresses into Last Eight

Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who found an extra gear in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.