 Coll in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Full name | Paul Daniel Coll | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Nickname(s) | Superman | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1992-05-09)9 May 1992 (age 32) Greymouth, New Zealand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Hoofddorp, Netherlands | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turned pro | 2010 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | Active | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Plays | Right Handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Rob Owen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Racquet used | Head | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Men's singles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (March 2022) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current ranking | No. 4 (December 2024) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| PSA profile | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Updated on 3 May 2023. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Paul Daniel CollONZM (born 9 May 1992) is a New Zealand professionalsquash 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 timesBritish Open champion, having won this tournament in 2021 and 2022.[2]
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 inWeybridge, 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 thePSA World Rankings. He is only the fourth New Zealander to break the top 10 in the world, the ones before him, including formerworld champion and world no. 2Ross Norman.
Coll claimed his first Commonwealth Games medal at the2018 Commonwealth Games as he clinched a silver medal in themen'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 thewomen'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 the2019 Open De France Nantes in France. Coll was able to take the final in three games (12–10, 11–3, 11–9), defeatingJoel Makin.[7] On 22 August 2021, Paul Coll won theBritish 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 firstWindy City Open title inChicago after coming back from two games down againstYoussef 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 defeatedAli Farag in a repeat of the 2021 final.
In August 2022, Coll took home his first gold medal in themen's singles event at the2022 Commonwealth Games and became the first New Zealander to win gold in this event after beating WelshmanJoel Makin in a tight five-game contest. Also in 2022, Coll won the bronze medal at the2022 PSA Men's World Squash Championship.[10]
In the2023 New Year Honours, Coll was appointed anOfficer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to squash.[11] In May 2023, he reached the quarter final of the2023 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, before losing to rival Ali Farag.[12] In October 2023, he won theUnited States Open.[13]
Major tournaments include:
| 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 |
Coll's uncle was the New Zealand rugby league playerTony Coll.[14]
Coll married Belgian professional squash playerNele Gilis in July 2024.[15]
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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