FLYING SCOT CLYNE CLAIMS KENT OPEN TITLE

Kent Open final: (1) Alan Clyne (Scotland) beat (Q) Jonathan Harford (England) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (35 minutes).


Top seed Alan Clyne powered home to the $10,000 Kent Open title with a straight-games victory over surprise finalist Jonny Harford.

Clyne won 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 in 35 minutes, finishing strongly in the first and third games and totally dominating the second to win the
inaugural PSA One Star tournament held at The Mote Squash Club in
Maidstone.
The 23-year-old world No.62 from Edinburgh was in control throughout most of the match, using his incredible speed and court coverage to
counter any attacking moves from the tall Englishman who had enjoyed a
walkover into the final following the withdrawal through illness of No.3
seed John Rooney.

Clyne dominated the front half of the court and whenever Harford played anything loose or short, the Scotsman pounced on the ball and won a
succession of points with his trademark killer drop shots.

Clyne's composure at the business end of games was obvious. From 6-6 in the first game he tightened up to win four points in a row and although
Harford countered with two stunning winners, Clyne had no trouble in
seeing out the game.

In hot, humid conditions, both players were literally dripping with sweat as the second game started and Harford was unable to withstand the
ferocious barrage of front-court winners flowing from the Scotsman's
racket.

The game was over in five minutes and the crowd were willing Harford to prolong the match.

He responded solidly and fought hard in the third game, but he was unable to build on his 8-5 lead as Clyne regained control to win six
points in a row to claim the title.

A delighted Clyne said: "I was very pleased with the way I played all week. The courts here at The Mote are excellent and everyone at the club
made us very welcome. It's always great to see new tournaments added to
the calendar and I am sure all the players will look forward to coming
back next year."

Runner-up Harford was pleased to claim some valuable points to help his climb back up the PSA rankings following a hip operation. He said: "Alan
played a fantastic game and I couldn't get near him today.He was
absolutely awesome at the front of the court.

"I would like to thank The Mote Squash Club and the Kent SRA for giving me a local spot in qualifying. It has really helped me to get back into
the game. I can only endorse what Alan said about the hospitality at
this club and the players are all grateful for the way they have been
looked after. It's been a great tournament."

Earlier in the day the Kent Junior squad enjoyed a resounding victory over the England Squash London region, showcasing the amazing talent within the county.
In the racketball exhibition, Ted Jeal gave Jonny Powell a few pointers about how the game should be played, and the doubles final was won by Neil Baker and Garry Clarke against Rodmersham rivals Steve Smith and David Rannard.