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In a performance that rewrote the history books, debutant Justin Hood pulled off an unprecedented 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.

A Fairytale Start on the Grandest Arena

The 32-year-old, competing in his maiden season on the top-tier professional circuit, continued his remarkable tournament run. His perfect 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 secure the victory with a spectacular 119 checkout in the following 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 post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt a bit of nerves was on my throw the leg before the last. I’m unaccustomed to this. Ordinarily, I get hate messages. This is absolutely insane.”

Setting the Tone with Electrifying Start

Hood sent an early message about his formidable challenge by winning the opening set with an 11-dart break. This left the favored Rock, the tournament's number 11, powerless but watch in awe as Hood charged to victory, registering a formidable 101 average and firing in 10 maximum 180s.

This historic 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 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, after establishing 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,” admitted Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was finding his doubles. It was tough; I didn’t play my best darts and had many 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 found an extra gear in the later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the elite last eight of the championship.