In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented 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.
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational 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.
“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood stated in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his avowed 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 was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, after establishing a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had many loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
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.
Wildlife biologist specializing in sloth research with over a decade of field experience in Central and South America.