Paul Coll reaches semifinals at Windy City Open
- editor59343
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
New Zealand squash player Paul Coll has won a five-game battle over Mohamed ElShorbagy to earn a spot in his fourth consecutive Windy City Open semifinal.
In a match that saw momentum swing back-and-forth, the pair were able to light up the court in front of the Chicago crowd. Coll was able to find his form late in the first, winning nine of the next eleven points to clinch the opener 11-8.
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The second game started in the same way as the opener, with ElShorbagy taking a commanding 7-1 lead. However, unlike the opening game, the former World No.1 was able to hold on to the lead, winning the second 11-4.
Coll was able to bounce back and give his opponent a taste of his own medicine, winning the third 11-5. Despite taking the lead once again, the New Zealand No.1 was unable to close out the match, with ElShorbagy swinging the momentum back in his favour, winning 11-7.
The final game of the contest seemingly broke the mould of the contest. The World No.2 made short work of the fifth taking a ten-point lead, to eventually win 11-1 in six minutes.
“I am very happy, I have never felt so uncoordinated as the start of the second and the fourth,” said Coll after the tie, “He used the angles amazingly and his racket speed was on top form today and I just felt so off balance.
“I wasn’t seeing the ball today and he made it very awkward for me today. It was a pleasure to have another battle with him like that, and I am happy to make it through.
“Physically I am fine, today was more of a mental battle. I was just trying to stay calm, and I thought about what I had to do. I knew he was going to try and disrupt me, slow me down, speed it up, chop up the angles and I just wasn’t reacting today, he played that game brilliantly, I am just happy I put a good fifth in.”
Coll will face No.4 seed Karim Gawad in the last four. The former World No.1 was able to beat French No.1 Victor Crouin 3-1 in a 63-minute battle.