In a display that etched his name in the record 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.
The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the premier 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. Unfazed, he regrouped to clinCH the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the very next leg.
“It’s not a fairytale – 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 any pressure was throwing the leg before the last. I’m not used to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is mad.”
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. 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 firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.
In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his ascent 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 was made to regret for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and subsequently wasting four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.
“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed 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 many loose attempts, 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 prestigious last eight of the championship.
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