Kiwi Coll Kills Off Home Hopes In Darwin

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New Zealander Paul Coll denied the hosts of the NT Open in Australia a fourth successive home winner when he upset top seed Zac Alexander in the final of the PSA Challenger 10 squash event at Darwin Squash Centre in Darwin.

Continuing the fine form which has seen the 23-year-old from Christchurch win two PSA World Tour titles from three events already this year, second seed Coll cruised into the final of the fourth after despatching third-seeded Canadian Dane Sharp in straight games in the semi-finals.

But Alexander, the Brisbane-born former World No.36, also reached the final without dropping a game – brushing aside James Huang, the No.4 seed from Chinese Taipei, in the other semi. The win took the US-based 26-year-old into the 23rd Tour final of his career.

Favourite Alexander took the opening game, but Coll clinched the second after a tie-break before maintaining the upper hand in the next two to close out the match 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6 after 65 minutes.

The triumph marks Coll’s sixth Tour title from seven final appearances – and his fourth on Australian soil.

“Thanks for putting on these tournaments for us,” joked Coll at the post-match presentations. “I love the conditions in Australia. The hot weather suits my game. The hot balls work in my favour.”

Coll admitted that he had never seen Alexander play before, but knew of his solid reputation.

“I was really happy to win the way I did, he’s an experienced player,” said Coll, who won the $20,000 Open de Paris last month and reached the Irish Open semi-finals as a qualifier.

“I’d had a really good month leading up to this. In Paris I beat four players who were seeded ahead of me, and then Ireland was a great result.

“I’m happy with where I’m at – my game’s in a really good place.”

RESULTS: PSA Challenger 10 NT Open, Darwin, Australia

1st round:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Tony James (AUS) 11-4, 11-3, 14-12 (28m)
Rohan Toole (AUS) bt Jesse Keegan (AUS) 11-6, 11-6, 11-7 (26m)
[Q] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt William Mountford-Jones (AUS) 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 (20m)
[6] Rhys Dowling (AUS) bt Mohd Syafiq Kamal (MAS) 11-9, 11-13, 15-13, 11-7 (65m)
[5] Matthew Hopkin (AUS) bt Thomas Calvert (AUS) 11-9, 11-7, 10-12, 11-3 (40m)
Evan Williams (NZL) bt [WC] Joseph White (AUS) 11-5, 11-5, 11-7 (25m)
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) bt Alex Eustace (AUS) 11-5, 11-2, 11-5 (21m)
[4] James Huang (TPE) bt Tim Cowell (AUS) 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (26m)
[3] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt [Q] Tsun Hei Yuen (HKG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-7 (30m)
Darcy Evans (AUS) bt [Q] Fabian Dinh (AUS) 11-4, 11-5, 11-8 (20m)
Mark Broekman (ENG) bt Solayman Nowrozi (AUS) 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 (35m)
[8] Ben Grindrod (NZL) bt [Q] Haroon Rasheed (PAK) 11-7, 11-9, 11-7 (31m)
[7] Muhammad Hannan (MAS) bt [Q] Tyas Williams (AUS) 11-6, 11-8, 11-5 (23m)
Chris van der Salm (NZL) bt Tyler Hawkins (AUS) 11-4, 11-2, 11-4 (15m)
[Q] Nicolas Massenet (AUS) bt TJ French (AUS) 11-4, 11-8, 5-11, 11-6 (39m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [Q] Jesse Yep (AUS) 11-2, 11-3, 11-2 (15m)
2nd round:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt Rohan Toole (AUS) 11-5, 11-0, 11-9 (26m)
[Q] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) bt [6] Rhys Dowling (AUS) 14-12, 6-11, 11-8, 4-11, 13-11 (51m)
Evan Williams (NZL) bt [5] Matthew Hopkin (AUS) 11-4, 11-2, 10-12, 11-9 (52m)
[4] James Huang (TPE) bt Eain Yow Ng (MAS) 11-7, 11-3, 11-3 (30m)
[3] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt Darcy Evans (AUS) 11-3, 11-9, 11-9 (36m)
[8] Ben Grindrod (NZL) bt Mark Broekman (ENG) 11-6, 11-7, 11-7 (33m)
Chris van der Salm (NZL) bt [7] Muhammad Hannan (MAS) 9-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-3, 12-10 (50m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [Q] Nicolas Massenet (AUS) 11-2, 11-3, 11-5 (16m)
Quarter-finals:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [Q] Tsz Kwan Lau (HKG) 11-4, 11-4, 11-4 (19m)
[4] James Huang (TPE) bt Evan Williams (NZL) 11-9, 10-12, 8-11, 11-7, 14-12 (94m)
[3] Dane Sharp (CAN) bt [8] Ben Grindrod (NZL) 11-6, 11-7, 11-9 (34m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Chris van der Salm (NZL) 11-3, 11-3, 11-6 (29m)
Semi-finals:
[1] Zac Alexander (AUS) bt [4] James Huang (TPE) 11-5, 11-4, 11-8 (35m)
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [3] Dane Sharp (CAN) 11-4, 11-5, 12-10 (35m)
Final:
[2] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [1] Zac Alexander (AUS) 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 11-6 (65m)