🔗 Share this article

In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved 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 Dream Debut on the Biggest Stage

The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His flawless doubling streak finally concluded when he was throwing 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 following leg.

“This isn't a storybook – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove 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 unaccustomed to this. Usually, I get hate messages. This is mad.”

Laying Down a Marker with Electrifying Start

Hood sent an early message about his intentions by securing the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's 11th seed, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood charged to victory, registering a formidable 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 opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle

In other third round action, Jonny Clayton solidified his rise to the number four spot 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 failing to capitalize on key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to re-establish a one-set lead at 3-2.

“There’s a lot on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” admitted Clayton. “Whenever I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”

Ratajski Progresses into Last Eight

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, booking his place in the elite last eight of the championship.