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In a performance that etched his name in the record books, debutant Justin Hood achieved 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 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 finally concluded when he had a chance 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.

“It’s not a fairytale – I know what I can do and it’s nice to prove it up there,” Hood remarked in his post-match interview. “The sole moment I felt any pressure was on my throw 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 winning 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 awe as Hood stormed to victory, posting a formidable 101 average and hammering 10 maximum 180s.

This historic win ensures the newcomer a career-best payday of at least £100,000 and brings him closer to his stated ambition of opening a Chinese restaurant.

Clayton Advances Amid Grueling Battle

In other last-16 action, Jonny Clayton solidified 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 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.

“A number of things on my mind and moving to world No. 4 was among them,” confessed Clayton. “Every time I looked up, Andreas was hitting his doubles. It was a real battle; I didn’t play my top 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 later stages to secure a 4-2 win over Luke Woodhouse, earning his spot in the prestigious last eight of the championship.