New Zealand Open 2023 – Finals: Preview & How To Watch Live

It’s finals day in Tauranga, New Zealand, as the top two seeds in the men’s and women’s draws of the Barfoot & Thompson/Lucino Vanities New Zealand Open 2023 go head-to-head for the titles.

Play starts at 15:00 (GMT+13) as sisters Nele and Tinne Gilis square off in the women’s final before New Zealand No.1 Paul Coll and England’s Marwan ElShorbagy lock horns in the men’s decider.

You can watch both finals live on SQUASHTV, or you can stay right up to date with the live scores here.

Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women’s Open Final

Lucino Vanities New Zealand Men’s Open Final

Nele Gilis v Tinne Gilis

Sisters Nele and Tinne Gilis will go head-to-head in a final for the fourth time in succession when they battle it out for the crown in New Zealand.

The Belgian pair faced off in the finals of the Annecy Rose Open and the Open de France de Squash in 2022, with their most recent clash for a title coming at the VITAGEN Singapore Open last month.

Nele, who captured the biggest title of her career in Singapore against Tinne, has won six out of the previous seven meetings with her sister, and defeated Low Wee Wern, Lucy Beecroft and Aifa Azman on her way to the final.

Tinne, whose sole victory against Nele came in the final of the Annecy Rose Open, hasn’t dropped a game so far during her run in this tournament, seeing off Saskia Beinhard, Tsz-Wing Tong and Tesni Evans.

Which sibling will come out on top this time in New Zealand?

Paul Coll v Marwan ElShorbagy

New Zealand No.1 Paul Coll will be aiming for success on home turf when he locks horns with Marwan ElShorbagy in the men’s final.

Coll, who was runner up to Marwan’s brother Mohamed in the final last year, has won five matches in a row against the Englishman, with ElShorbagy last winning against the Kiwi at the CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open in 2021.

Home favourite Coll, who came into this tournament having scored the Hong Kong Open, notched 3-0 wins against Velavan Senthilkumar and Auguste Dussourd before ousting France’s Victor Crouin in the semi finals.

After defeating David Baillargeon in straight games in round two, ElShorbagy claimed two impressive come-from-behind victories over Patrick Rooney and Joel Makin in the quarter finals and semi finals, respectively.

Can Coll continue his impressive form or will ElShorbagy snap a five-match winless run against the New Zealander to take the title?