Kiwi squash ace Paul Coll keen to keep climbing

Paul Coll has rocketed up the world rankings and is confident the best is yet to come. Photo / Channel VAS

Dutch-based Kiwi heads to the world squash championships in Manchester this weekend still shocked at the speed of his rise up the rankings, writes Chris Rattue.

Paul Coll heads to the world squash championships in Manchester this weekend still shocked at the speed of his rise up the world rankings.

The 25-year-old West Coaster is ranked at eight, fuelling his confidence around becoming the first New Zealander to hold the men's top spot. Coll made the top 50 just over two years ago, then cracked the top 20 after a stunning 2016.

On the eve of his third appearance in the world championships, Holland-based Coll talks about mind games, his "scary" move to Europe, a legendary uncle, cathedrals and more.

Are you confident for Manchester?
I'm happy with how it went at the world teams event — it's now about dealing with the occasion and delivering at the right time. My first opponent is the French No. 2 Gregoire Marche — I beat him in the teams event which is our only match. We play a similar game — he opens up the court a bit which I enjoy and I can attack off that.

Does your world ranking surprise you?
I didn't expect to be top eight by now — I'm still dealing with that. It's just a build up of all the hard work over the past five or six years. I haven't changed my game much.

Was moving to Holland difficult?
It was very scary, it is a long way from home and I'm very much a family person. I did suffer for quite a while. It's just one of the sacrifices you've got to make if you want to make it in any sport. I tried England for a few week but didn't really like it. One of the Kiwis players had been in Holland and gave me some contacts, I met my coach (Tommy Berden), we clicked...I've been here about five years, living just outside Amsterdam. It is a pretty relaxed life, everything is basically in English which makes it easier to get around and survive. My girlfriend (world No. 27 Nele Gilis of Belgium) wants me to learn more Dutch. I really miss Greymouth — all my friends and family are there. I moved at 13 to go to school in Christchurch, but it will always be home to me.

Coll gets a congratulatory kiss from squash-playing girlfriend Nele Gilis after a big tournament win in England. Photo/Channel VAS

Your uncle Tony Coll was a terrific Kiwi league forward — what is his influence on you?
He is the toughest guy I've ever met. I heard the stories around his career and idolised him. Hard work is in our family — my dad (building supply franchise manager Mike) is the same. He never misses a day of work even if he is sick. Tony trained me for a bit. He was a legend and I actually did school papers on him. He reckoned once that he did a 3km run to warm up for hill sprints and a 3km run to cool down. I'm not sure if he was pulling my leg but I thought s@#$, I've got some work to do.

Have any of our famous squash players had a direct influence on you?
Stu Davenport (former world No. 3) helps me a lot...a lot of mental advice, about how to deal with top players. It's a very psychological game. He told me how the top guys think, especially when they will target younger players to keep them down. It's the little things they say to you, little things which happen on court. I'd go training with the world number one then post on Facebook "learning from the master". Stu told me to cut that out, don't give him that sort of respect, to think of myself on their level rather than beneath them. I've had quite a bit of contact with Susan Devoy as well.

Do you use a sports psychologist?
I read a lot of books and I've learnt a lot from an American coach Ben Bergeron...he trains cross fit which I'm right into. It's all about doing your best every day, don't worry about the results, that being a good character in life will help you become a better athlete. It is all about trusting in the hard work.

Squash use to be played with wooden racquets with funny little heads...
The technology has peaked really, but the new rackets have made the game a lot faster in terms of racket speed etc. Studies found the average match length is about the same as 30 years ago, but the amount of balls hit has doubled. It's about the overall development of the game — the players back then were fit but in a different way. It is more explosive now.

Who is the most talented player in squash?
Ramy Ashour (Egyptian, former world champ, current No. 17). He is injured a lot but can have three months out and come back to win a tournament. It's his racket skills, he is mentally tough, everything, a very smart player. I hit some balls with him once which was pretty tough.

Egyptians dominate the top rankings...
Squash is like rugby to a Kiwi, their national sport. The sheer numbers playing means they are exposed to a very high level very young.

If you weren't a professional squash player...
I studied architecture for a while, but I chose squash. I'm also a personal trainer, and I'll probably go down the fitness line in the end. But I still love architecture and drawing so you never know. I love it here, the crazy old buildings, just walking around the old cathedrals and stuff.

Your main goal is...
I'm looking to be world number one, which has always been in the back of my mind. Obviously, this (ranking rise) has all come very quickly to me, and I'm just taking a step back at the moment, still learning a lot. I'm dealing with the expectations, not getting ahead of myself. But the hard work makes me believe, along with the good group of people around me. I know what my strengths are - fitness, speed and my mental side. If I can stick to them I can beat anyone. It's just piecing that together for a whole match, whole tournaments.