🔗 Share this article

In a display 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 Fairytale Start on the Grandest Arena

The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever 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 composed himself to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.

“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”

Laying Down a Marker with Blistering Start

Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.

This historic win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of launching a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Advances Amid Tough Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise 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 squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.

“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of 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 a lot of loose throws, but that’s what pressure does to you.”

Ratajski Progresses into Quarter-Finals

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 prestigious last eight of the championship.