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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 commanding 4-0 victory over Josh Rock in the last 16 of the prestigious World Darts Championship.
The 32-year-old, competing 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 composed himself to secure 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 incredibly satisfying to demonstrate it up there,” Hood stated in his on-stage interview. “The only time I felt any pressure was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get negative comments. This is mad.”
Hood immediately signaled his formidable challenge by securing the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the higher-seeded Rock, the tournament's number 11, little to do but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.
This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and edges him closer to his avowed ambition of launching 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, having led a 2-1 advantage and then missing four darts to regain 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 hitting his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had a lot of loose attempts, but that’s what pressure does to you.”
Joining them in the next round is Krzysztof Ratajski, who pulled away in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, booking his place in the prestigious last eight of the championship.
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