In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unheard-of feat of 11 consecutive doubles, blasting his way to a commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the third round of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing in his first ever season on the premier professional circuit, continued 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. Undaunted, he regrouped to secure the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“This isn't a storybook – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood remarked in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt a bit of nerves was throwing the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
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, powerless but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a impressive 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a career-best payday of at least ÂŁ100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton confirmed his rise to the number four spot in the global rankings after mounting 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 re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top darts and had many loose throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the closing phases to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.
Kaelen Vance is a seasoned esports journalist and former competitive gamer, passionate about sharing strategies and industry trends.