Coll harnesses power to reach final
Don’t tell world No 2 Paul Coll that the Commonwealth Games don’t matter.
The New Zealand squash star advanced to the final of the men’s singles competition with a comprehensive win over India’s Saurav Ghosal. He will meet Joel Makin in the final after the Welshman beat defending champion James Willstrop (England) 11-5 11-5 11-9.
Coll’s win came after a surprise loss for defending women’s champion Joelle King, of New Zealand, who was outplayed in an 11-7 3-11 8-11 1-11 showing against Canada’s Holly Naughton.
Coll took 20 minutes to win the first game 11-9 and then the same amount of time to win the next two, 11-4 11-1. ‘‘Just ecstatic to put in a performance like that,’’ Coll said.
‘‘A lot of people have helped me this week, calming me down, reassuring me and I finally think I’m in a really good mental space. ‘‘I’m loving my time out on the court, wearing the fern, wearing black, the best time of my life. There’s been lots of times I’ve been in tears on the phone to my dad . . . he’s been telling me just to enjoy it, play my squash, play like I play every time.’’
The 30-year-old, who earlier this year became the first New Zealander to be the top-ranked men’s player in the world, said he’s got so excited by the successes of the New Zealand team at the Games. ‘‘It’s almost taken me the other way too much – I want it too badly and I’ve got to keep my mind on one rally at a time, and that’s what my old man’s been telling me.
‘‘I haven’t had this feeling on a squash court in so long.
‘‘It’s a powerful feeling. New Zealand’s a powerful country and if you harness that it’s a dangerous thing.’’
Coll displayed his trademark athleticism and an array of trick shots to subdue Ghosal after a tense first game.
Earlier, underdog Naughton proved too sharp after King took a tight first game, and was unstoppable at the end in her first win over the New Zealander.
‘‘From the first point I didn’t feel really settled, and she capitalised,’’ King said.
‘‘She was playing very well, moving very well . . . I kinda just hung in in the rallies.
‘‘Really disappointed with that to be honest. I came here to try and defend the gold – it didn’t happen.’’