In a display 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 dominant 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the elite World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, taking part in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, extended his sensational tournament run. His perfect doubling streak finally concluded when he was throwing to seal the match at 2-0 up in the fourth set. Unfazed, he regrouped to clinCH the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the following leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s nice to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The only time I felt any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is absolutely insane.”
Hood sent an early message about his intentions by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, powerless but watch in awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a impressive 101 average and firing in 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 confirmed his ascent to the number four spot in the global rankings after engineering a comeback 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 then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“A number of things on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had a lot of 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, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
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