Kiwis Joelle King and Paul Coll have reached the semifinals of the New Zealand Squash Open. Photo / Dscribe Media
Kiwis Joelle King and Paul Coll have reached the semifinals of the New Zealand Squash Open. Photo / Dscribe Media
Kiwis Paul Coll and Joelle King have put in top performances to reach the semifinals of the New Zealand Squash Open in Tauranga.
Both scored straight game victories in their quarterfinal matches in front of a capacity and enthusiastic crowd at the Trustpower Arena on Thursday night.
In the RobertsonLodges men's draw Coll, the world No.2 from Greymouth, faced off against the sixth seed and tour veteran, English left-hander Adrian Waller.
Both players took the first game to settle into their stride but Coll, familiar with the state-of-the-art glass court after several matches in the past week, took it comfortably enough, winning 11-7, 11-6 and 11-9 in 37 minutes.
After his victory Coll, 30, said he relished the atmosphere.
World No.2 Paul Coll (right), of Greymouth, playing against England's Adrian Waller at Trustpower Arena in their quarterfinal match at the NZ Squash Open. Photo / Supplied
"I've got a whole row of family here from Greymouth, about 24 here tonight (Thursday) and 35 are coming tomorrow, so there will be five people left in Greymouth.
"It's one of my tactics to focus on the left-handers' backhands, and the backhand is now one of my favourite shots, especially on the glass court.
"He [Waller] was good, played some lovely lobs, very accurate and with his big wingspan, he managed to whip a few past me. Hopefully, I'll get a five-minute ice bath, some kai and will chill out for the rest of the evening," he said.
Coll's semifinal match on Saturday night is against seventh seed Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (Qatar) who won 11-5, 11-5, 11-5 over Canadian David Baillargeon in the quarterfinal.
"With or without the squash I'm having a great time on and off the court. I'm very happy with my skills. I had a game plan tonight, I knew what I wanted to do and I stuck to that.
"I'm very happy with how the game went and I'm ready for the semifinals with physically no damage done and I'm used to the court. I feel I've built on my Nations Cup performance and know how to play on the court. I wanted to focus on myself, mainly, for this week: it's a tournament I want to win so I'm feeling good."
In their eighth encounter, Joelle King managed to take advantage of 25-year-old American Sabrina Sobhy carrying a possible injury in her quarterfinal.
World No.5 women's player Joelle King (NZ) playing against American Sabrina Sobhy in their quarterfinal match. Photo / Supplied
King made the most of her opportunities and achieved a decisive victory in three games 11-2, 11-6 and 11-6 and she has yet to lose a match over the past weeks.
"Anyone who knows Beans [Sobhy] knows she wasn't fully fit today. When someone's slightly off you know you have to keep your focus, and I did that today. Yes I tried to impose myself like [men's No.2 seed] Mohamed El Shorbagy: we've had the same coach for a little while now and we've trained together a fair bit.
For King, 34, her semifinal match on Saturday match will be against Tinne Gilis from Belgium who is ranked 12th in the world and No.1 in her homeland.
"We both play to win but once we come off we're still good friends. Paul and I certainly get the crowd revved up. The crowd were great tonight; they were clapping when we both hit winners. They're really loving top-flight squash in New Zealand.
"Like a fine wine, I'm getting better with age; using my brain now and enjoying my squash. I was pretty focused today ... I'm very pleased with how I played out there. I thought everything came together nicely, I was hitting my targets well.
"... I'm most happy with my mental performance; I seemed to keep a good focus. I haven't lost on this court, but let's not jinx that. "
Gilis was a straight game winner over Japan's Satomi Wantabe in her quarterfinal.
Friday's other quarterfinals matches start from 6pm with Nele Gilis (Belgium) against Commonwealth Games silver medallist Hollie Naughton, followed by Mohamed El Shorbagy (England) v Leandro Romiglio (Argentina),
This will be followed at 8pm with Sarah-Jane Perry (England) taking on Tesni Evans from Wales) followed by France's No.3 player Victor Crouin versus Andrew Douglas from the US.
NZ Squash icon Dame Susan Devoy has put her full support behind the New Zealand Squash Open, and whose name is etched on the trophy eight times.
The former world No.1, who lives in Tauranga, is right behind the event, which has returned as a dual men and women's tournament for the first time since 1993.
"It's fantastic that Paul [Coll] and Joelle [King] are home and even more fantastic that along with them they've brought some absolute top-class players," she said.
"To be honest, I was mesmerised watching [Mohamed] El Shorbagy and watching a young man, El Tamimi, from Qatar, is just phenomenal as well. In the women's, the standard is really high.
"There's no guarantee Paul and Joelle will win or make the final, even though we want them to, but that makes for some great squash. It's awesome."
Devoy feels playing at home has some pluses and minus at times.
"It's a double-edged sword. It does put pressure on you being at home, but it does get you geed up by the partisan crowd. Joelle is certainly playing well, Paul might have some nerves to start with, but he's coming into his own."
Devoy was also impressed with the atmosphere and how it fits in the PSA Tour calendar.
"That's as good as anywhere in the world. It might not be the pyramids or Grand Central in New York, it's a big more relaxed, but the technology around the court is amazing."
The finals will be held on Sunday starting from 2pm.
