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Paul Coll

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Not to be confused with Paul Cole.

Paul Coll
ONZM
Coll in 2018
Full namePaul Daniel Coll
Nickname(s)Superman
CountryNew Zealand
Born (1992-05-09) 9 May 1992 (age 32)
Greymouth, New Zealand
ResidenceHoofddorp, Netherlands
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight83 kg (183 lb)
Turned pro2010
RetiredActive
PlaysRight Handed
Coached byRob Owen
Racquet usedHead
Websitepaulcoll.com
Men's singles
Highest rankingNo. 1 (March 2022)
Current rankingNo. 3 (December 2023)
Medal record
Men's squash
Representing  New Zealand
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2020 Doha Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2021 Chicago Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Cairo Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2024 Cairo singles
World Doubles Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Darwin Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 2017 Manchester Mixed doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2016 Darwin Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Manchester Doubles
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Birmingham Mixed Doubles
Silver medal – second place 2018 Gold Coast Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Mixed doubles
British Open
Gold medal – first place 2021 Hull Singles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Hull Singles
PSA profile
Updated on 3 May 2023.

Paul Daniel Coll ONZM (born 9 May 1992) is a New Zealand professional squash player. In March 2022, he became the first New Zealand man to achieve a world ranking of World No. 1.[1] He is a two times British Open champion, having won this tournament in 2021 and 2022.[2]

Career

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While Coll never achieved the same success in his junior career that he would see at the professional level, his first major breakthrough came when he was ranked 31st in the world and won the $100,000 St. George's Hill Classic in Weybridge, England, as a qualifier. He beat 4 players in the top 20 to win the title, which raised him to no. 20 in the world. He made history in September 2017 when he became no. 10 in the PSA World Rankings. He is only the fourth New Zealander to break the top 10 in the world, the ones before him, including former world champion and world no. 2 Ross Norman.

Coll claimed his first Commonwealth Games medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games as he clinched a silver medal in the men's singles event after being defeated by veteran English squash player, James Willstrop.[3][4] On the other side, fellow New Zealand squash player, Joelle King clinched a historical gold medal in the women's singles event.[5] This was also the first instance where a male and a female squash player from New Zealand had managed to qualify in the final of the respective events at a Commonwealth Games event.[6]

In September 2019, Coll won the 2019 Open De France Nantes in France. Coll was able to take the final in three games (12–10, 11–3, 11–9), defeating Joel Makin.[7] On 22 August 2021, Paul Coll won the British Open championship and became the first New Zealander to win the British Open men's squash title.[8][9]

In March 2022, Coll became the first New Zealander men's world no. 1 squash player, surpassing Ross Norman as the highest-ranked male squash player from New Zealand. Coll enjoyed more success in March when he won his first Windy City Open title in Chicago after coming back from two games down against Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt. The next month in April, he successfully defended his 2021 British Open title without dropping a single set the entire tournament. He defeated Ali Farag in a repeat of the 2021 final.

In August 2022, Coll took home his first gold medal in the men's singles event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and became the first New Zealander to win gold in this event after beating Welshman Joel Makin in a tight five-game contest. Also in 2022, Coll won the bronze medal at the 2022 PSA Men's World Squash Championship.[10]

In the 2023 New Year Honours, Coll was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to squash.[11] In May 2023, he reached the quarter final of the 2023 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, before losing to rival Ali Farag.[12] In October 2023, he won the United States Open.[13]

Titles and Finals

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Major Finals (13)

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Major tournaments include:

  • PSA World Championships
  • PSA World Tour Finals
  • Top-tier PSA World Tour tournaments (Platinum/World Series/Super Series)
Year/Season Tournament Opponent Result Score
2019-20 PSA World Championships Tarek Momen Loss (1) 8-11 3-11 4-11
2020 Windy City Open Ali Farag Loss (2) 14-12 11-9 7-11 6-11 1-11
2020 Qatar Classic Ali Farag Loss (3) 8-11 11-6 9-11 9-11
2021 El Gouna International Mohamed El Shorbagy Loss (4) 5-11 2-11 7-11
2021 British Open Ali Farag Win (1) 6-11 11-6 11-6 11-8
2021 Qatar Classic Diego Elías Loss (5) 11-13 11-5 11-13 9-11
2022 Windy City Open Youssef Ibrahim Win (2) 7-11 10-12 11-4 11-7 11-9
2022 British Open (2) Ali Farag Win (3) 12-10 11-6 11-4
2022 El Gouna International Mostafa Asal Loss (6) 8-11 9-11 5-11
2021-22 PSA World Tour Finals Mostafa Asal Loss (7) 11-13 8-11 7-11
2022 Egyptian Open Ali Farag Loss (8) 6-11 11-8 4-11 7-11
2023 U.S. Open Ali Farag Win (4) 11-7 11-7 8-11 8-11 12-10
2023 Hong Kong Open Ali Farag Win (5) 10-12 11-3 11-8 8-11 11-9

Personal life

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Coll's uncle was the New Zealand rugby league player Tony Coll.[14]

Coll married Belgian professional squash player Nele Gilis in July 2024.

References

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  1. ^ "Coll becomes first male New Zealander to reach World no. 1 in PSA world rankings". PSA World Tour. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  2. ^ SquashInfo Player Profile
  3. ^ "Paul Coll denied Commonwealth Games gold in men's squash by English veteran". Stuff. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  4. ^ @aldersonnotes, Andrew Alderson Sports reporter, NZ Herald andrew alderson@nzherald co nz (7 April 2018). "Squash: Joelle King and Paul Coll into Commonwealth Games singles finals". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 9 April 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ "Kiwi King wins, Coll loses Games squash final". ESPN. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Commonwealth Games: Joelle King, Paul Coll qualify for squash singles finals". Newshub. 4 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  7. ^ "France's Serme and New Zealand's Coll Reign Supreme At Open de France - Nantes - Professional Squash Association". psaworldtour.com. 15 September 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Squash: Paul Coll wins British Open becoming first Kiwi male to claim title". NZ Herald. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Paul Coll becomes first New Zealander to win the British Open men's squash title". Stuff. 22 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag win PSA World Championship titles". World Squash Federation. 26 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  11. ^ "New Year honours list 2023". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 31 December 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
  12. ^ "2023 World Championship draws". PSA. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  13. ^ "Squash star Paul Coll becomes the first Kiwi man in 37 years to win the US Open". Stuff. 15 October 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
  14. ^ Kenny, Jake; Kermeen, Mat; Smith, Tony (14 May 2020). "Former Kiwis captain and West Coast community leader Tony Coll dies". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
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