Kenny Drives Out Grant In Motor City Upset

Ireland's Liam Kenny caused a major upset in the semi-finals of the Motor City Open when he outlasted second seed Adrian Grant in five games to reach the final of the $30,000 PSA Tour event in Detroit, USA.

Whilst Grant survived a marathon five-game quarter-final battle to get to the semi-finals, the 29-year-old Irish champion achieved his berth after only half a game, when his higher-seeded Canadian opponent Shahier Razik retired injured with the score standing at 6-all.

Kenny, beaten by Grant only two months ago in the CNS International in Pakistan, achieved his career-first victory over the world No13 from London by an 11-10 (2-0), 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-10 (2-0) margin.

"I felt he was a little slow off the ball," Kenny said. "He had a hard match yesterday. That's what happens in this game."

The Dublin-based Irishman, ranked 40 in the world, was down 10-8 in the final game, but rallied to win the next four points and the match.

"I'm just glad to get through on this day," said the No8 seed. "It was a great win for me. I've been beyond expectations this week. I've been knocking on the door for a good season or two against these top players. I guess the work I've put in, it was bound to happen."

Kenny will face John White in the final after the top-seeded Scot defeated Welshman Alex Gough, the third seed, 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7.

The first game of the match was notable for an extraordinary 175-shot rally - "surely the longest in MCO history," said a spokesman for the event.

"We were just happy to rally," White said after the match. "The ball was bouncing - it was just going on and on and on. That's just the way the whole game went. I had to pick the pace up. Goughy's one of these guys that when he's moving around the court, he's unbelievable. He gets a lot of balls back, and he's got the shots to go with it."

Play was suspended for five minutes in the second game after the Welshman was struck in the eye by White's racquet.

"All of a sudden I take my racquet back to swing and boom, I got him," White said of the incident. "I've hit someone with a ball before accidentally, but never with the racquet."

Gough returned to the court 9-10 down. His eye continued to ooze blood for the remainder of the match, but the gritty 35-year old veteran continued to play. White, however, slowly asserted his will on the match - controlling the T, taking fewer steps to the ball, and wearing his opponent down.

"It's a bit unfortunate to get smacked in the eye," Gough said afterwards. "It was just one of those things. It was a rally where we were both scurrying around and he just caught me on the back swing in the middle of the court."

Semi-finals:
[1] John White (SCO) bt [3] Alex Gough (WAL) 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-7
[8] Liam Kenny (IRL) bt [2] Adrian Grant (ENG) 11-10 (2-0), 3-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-10 (2-0)