🔗 Share this article

In a display that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood achieved an unprecedented 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.

A Fairytale Start on the Biggest Stage

The 32-year-old, taking part in his maiden 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. Unfazed, he composed himself to clinCH the victory with a superb 119 checkout in the very next leg.

“It’s not a fairytale – I am fully aware of what I can do and it’s incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves 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 Blistering Start

Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an lightning-fast break of throw. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in amazement as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This record-breaking win guarantees the newcomer a life-changing payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Climbs Amid Tough Battle

In other last-16 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 ultimately paid the price for squandering key opportunities, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain a one-set lead at 3-2.

“A number of things on my mind and becoming world No. 4 was one of them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time 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 throws, but that’s what the occasion does to you.”

Ratajski Rolls into Last Eight

Joining them in the quarter-final stage 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.