London Classic QF: Coll Comes From Behind To Beat Parker

Men’s top seed Paul Coll of New Zealand avoided suffering the same fate as his counterpart in the women’s event as the World No.2 came back from a game down to beat England’s George Parker.

To the delight of the home crowd, Parker took the opening game 11-8, pulling away from 8-8 with three near-perfect rallies.

The expected Coll response came in game two, with the top seed hitting his targets better and restoring parity with a 11-6 win.

Coll continued to dominate in the third game, firing in winners as he took the first six points of the game before winning 11-3.

After the match, Coll said: “He slowed it down really well and cut off the volley.

“I was a bit annoyed with my hitting, I was really passive and I wasn’t getting the ball past him. I knew what I had to do, so I’m happy that I got my game going in the second and third. He’s a good friend and I’m happy to see him playing well and reaching his biggest quarter-finals.

“I know what I can do and it’s awesome to see.

“I’m looking forward to it [the match with Makin]. He’s had a couple of injuries, so it’s good to see him back playing injury free. You saw how tough he was out there today against Marwan, it was a real battle.

“We both know what to expect, and I’m looking forward to a clean battle. It’s back to best of five, which is what I prefer.

“I went back to analysing my game and doing what I love. I do a lot of mental work and squash work. I’m never happy or settled, I’m always looking for something I can improve, and I’m always tinkering.

“That’s what I enjoy, I feel hungry, energetic and I’m excited to get onto court every time.

“I’d be annoyed if they [the crowd] didn’t get behind their home guy. It’s great to see the support they’re showing for their players. It’s an amazing venue, I’m stoked that it’s full and I’m looking forward to a big semi-finals day tomorrow.”

Result: [1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt George Parker (ENG) 2-1: 8-11, 11-6, 11-3 (42m)

The semi-finals of the GillenMarkets London Squash Classic take place tomorrow, 31 March, at Alexandra Palace. Action will be streamed live on SQUASHTV from 15:00 (GMT).

For more information on the GillenMarkets London Squash Classic, visit the PSA website or follow the PSA on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. You can also keep track of all of the live scores from the event by clicking here.