Paul Coll
{{short description|New Zealand squash player}}
{{distinguish|Paul Cole}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox squash player
| name = Paul Coll
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=80%}}}}
| image = Paul Coll 2018.jpg
| caption = Coll in 2018
| full_name = Paul Daniel Coll
| nickname = Superman
| country = New Zealand
| residence = Hoofddorp, Netherlands
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1992|5|09|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Greymouth, New Zealand
| death_date =
| death_place =
| spouse = {{marriage|Nele Coll|2024}}
| height = {{height|m=1.79|precision=0}}
| weight = {{convert|83|kg|lb}}
| turnedpro = 2010
| retired = Active
| plays = Right Handed
| coach = Rob Owen
| racquet = Head
| event = Men's singles
| years_active =
| highest_ranking = No. 1
| date_of_highest_ranking = March 2022
| current_ranking = No. 3
| date_of_current_ranking = June 2025
| titles =
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport|Men's squash}}
{{MedalCountry|{{NZL}}}}
{{MedalComp|World Championships}}
{{MedalSilver|2020 Doha|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|2021 Chicago|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze | 2022 Cairo | Singles}}
{{MedalBronze | 2024 Cairo | singles}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2025 Chicago|Singles}}
{{MedalComp|World Doubles Championships}}
{{MedalGold|2016 Darwin|Mixed doubles}}
{{MedalGold|2017 Manchester|Mixed doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|2016 Darwin|Doubles}}
{{MedalBronze|2017 Manchester|Doubles}}
{{MedalComp|Commonwealth Games}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Birmingham|Singles}}
{{MedalGold|2022 Birmingham|Mixed Doubles}}
{{MedalSilver|2018 Gold Coast|Singles}}
{{MedalBronze|2018 Gold Coast|Mixed doubles}}
{{MedalCompetition | British Open}}
{{MedalGold | 2021 Hull | Singles}}
{{MedalGold | 2022 Hull | Singles}}
| psa_id = paul-coll
}}
Paul Daniel Coll {{post-nominals|country=NZL|ONZM|size=85%}} (born 9 May 1992) is a New Zealand professional squash player. In March 2022, he became the first New Zealand man to achieve a world ranking of World No. 1.{{cite web |url=https://psaworldtour.com/news/view/9577/coll-becomes-first-male-new-zealander-to-reach-world-no-1-in-psa-world-rankings |title=Coll becomes first male New Zealander to reach World no. 1 in PSA world rankings |date=1 March 2022 |website=PSA World Tour |access-date=2 March 2022}} He is a two times British Open champion, having won this tournament in 2021 and 2022.[https://www.squashinfo.com/player/5974-paul-coll SquashInfo Player Profile]
Career
While Coll never achieved the same success in his junior career that he would see at the professional level, his first major breakthrough came when he was ranked 31st in the world and won the $100,000 St. George's Hill Classic in Weybridge, England, as a qualifier. He beat 4 players in the top 20 to win the title, which raised him to no. 20 in the world. He made history in September 2017 when he became no. 10 in the PSA World Rankings. He is only the fourth New Zealander to break the top 10 in the world, the ones before him, including former world champion and world no. 2 Ross Norman.
Coll claimed his first Commonwealth Games medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games as he clinched a silver medal in the men's singles event after being defeated by veteran English squash player, James Willstrop.{{Cite news|url=https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/commonwealth-games/102962703/paul-coll-wins-silver-in-mens-squash-as-english-veteran-finally-breaks-through|title=Paul Coll denied Commonwealth Games gold in men's squash by English veteran|work=Stuff |access-date=2018-04-09|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12028681|title=Squash: Joelle King and Paul Coll into Commonwealth Games singles finals|last=@aldersonnotes|first=Andrew Alderson Sports reporter, NZ Herald andrew alderson@nzherald co nz|date=2018-04-07|work=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=2018-04-09|language=en-NZ|issn=1170-0777}} On the other side, fellow New Zealand squash player, Joelle King clinched a historical gold medal in the women's singles event.{{Cite news|url=http://www.espn.in/commonwealth-games/story/_/id/23088581/kiwi-king-wins-coll-loses-commonwealth-games-squash-final|title=Kiwi King wins, Coll loses Games squash final|work=ESPN|access-date=2018-04-09}} This was also the first instance where a male and a female squash player from New Zealand had managed to qualify in the final of the respective events at a Commonwealth Games event.{{Cite news|url=http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/Commonwealth-Games/2018/04/commonwealth-games-joelle-king-paul-coll-qualify-for-squash-singles-finals.html|title=Commonwealth Games: Joelle King, Paul Coll qualify for squash singles finals|date=2018-09-04|work=Newshub |access-date=2018-04-09|language=en|archive-date=10 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410071941/http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/Commonwealth-Games/2018/04/commonwealth-games-joelle-king-paul-coll-qualify-for-squash-singles-finals.html|url-status=dead}}
In September 2019, Coll won the 2019 Open De France Nantes in France. Coll was able to take the final in three games (12–10, 11–3, 11–9), defeating Joel Makin.{{Cite web|title=France's Serme and New Zealand's Coll Reign Supreme At Open de France - Nantes - Professional Squash Association|url=https://psaworldtour.com/news/view/6692/france-s-serme-and-new-zealand-s-coll-reign-supreme-at-open-de-france-nantes|access-date=2021-08-22|website=psaworldtour.com|date=15 September 2019 }} On 22 August 2021, Paul Coll won the British Open championship and became the first New Zealander to win the British Open men's squash title.{{Cite web|title=Squash: Paul Coll wins British Open becoming first Kiwi male to claim title|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/squash-paul-coll-wins-british-open-becoming-first-kiwi-male-to-claim-title/2CYYVIF4ZB5YHODBOGPLYYYYW4/|access-date=2021-08-22|website=The New Zealand Herald |language=en-NZ}}{{Cite web|date=2021-08-22|title=Paul Coll becomes first New Zealander to win the British Open men's squash title|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/126150980/paul-coll-becomes-first-new-zealander-to-win-the-british-open-mens-squash-title|access-date=2021-08-22|website=Stuff |language=en}}
In March 2022, Coll became the first New Zealander men's world no. 1 squash player, surpassing Ross Norman as the highest-ranked male squash player from New Zealand. Coll enjoyed more success in March when he won his first Windy City Open title in Chicago after coming back from two games down against Youssef Ibrahim of Egypt. The next month in April, he successfully defended his 2021 British Open title without dropping a single set the entire tournament. He defeated Ali Farag in a repeat of the 2021 final.
In August 2022, Coll took home his first gold medal in the men's singles event at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and became the first New Zealander to win gold in this event after beating Welshman Joel Makin in a tight five-game contest. Also in 2022, Coll won the bronze medal at the 2022 PSA Men's World Squash Championship.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldsquash.org/nour-el-sherbini-and-ali-farag-win-psa-world-championship-titles/ |title=Nour El Sherbini and Ali Farag win PSA World Championship titles |website=World Squash Federation |date=26 May 2022 |access-date=3 May 2023}}
In the 2023 New Year Honours, Coll was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to squash.{{cite web |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2023 |title=New Year honours list 2023 |date=31 December 2022 |publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet |access-date=31 December 2022}} In May 2023, he reached the quarter final of the 2023 PSA Men's World Squash Championship, before losing to rival Ali Farag.{{cite web |url=https://worldsquashchamps.com/draws/ |title=2023 World Championship draws |website=PSA |date=9 November 2017 |access-date=9 May 2023}} In October 2023, he won the United States Open.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-10-15 |title=Squash star Paul Coll becomes the first Kiwi man in 37 years to win the US Open |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/other-sports/133124106/squash-star-paul-coll-becomes-the-first-kiwi-man-in-37-years-to-win-the-us-open |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
Coll married Belgian professional squash player Nele Gilis in July 2024.{{cite news |url=https://www.greystar.co.nz/news/destination-wedding-for-coll/ |title=Destination wedding for Coll |date=3 July 2024 |work=Greymouth Star |access-date=12 December 2024}}
In May 2025, Coll reached the semi-final of the 2025 Men's World Squash Championship in Chicago but was defeated by number 1 seed and four-time champion Ali Farag.{{cite web|url=https://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/6/56/546412/Sports/Omni-sports/Squash-Egyptians-chase-glory-in--PSA-World-Champio.aspx |title=Squash: Egyptians chase glory in 2025 PSA World Championships finals |website=Ahram Online |date=17 May 2025|access-date=20 May 2025}} The following month he reached the semi final of the 2025 Men's British Open Squash Championship, losing to Diego Elías.{{cite web|url=https://thesquashsite.com/british-open-2025 |title=British Open 2025 : It's Nouran & Diego |publisher=Squash Site |date=8 June 2025 |access-date=9 June 2025}}
Titles and finals
= Major finals (13) =
Major tournaments include:
- PSA World Championships
- PSA World Tour Finals
- Top-tier PSA World Tour tournaments (Platinum/World Series/Super Series)
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year/Season !Tournament !Opponent !Result !Score |
| 2019–20
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (1) |8–11 3–11 4–11 |
| 2020
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (2) |14–12 11–9 7–11 6–11 1–11 |
| 2020
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (3) |8–11 11–6 9–11 9–11 |
| 2021
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (4) |5–11 2–11 7–11 |
| 2021
|bgcolor="99FB98"|Win (1) |6–11 11–6 11–6 11–8 |
| 2021
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (5) |11–13 11–5 11–13 9–11 |
| 2022
|bgcolor="99FB98"|Win (2) |7–11 10–12 11–4 11–7 11–9 |
| 2022
|British Open (2) |bgcolor="99FB98"|Win (3) |12–10 11–6 11–4 |
| 2022
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (6) |8–11 9–11 5–11 |
| 2021–22
|bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (7) |11–13 8–11 7–11 |
| 2022
|Egyptian Open |bgcolor="ffa07a"|Loss (8) |6–11 11–8 4–11 7–11 |
| 2023
|bgcolor="99FB98"|Win (4) |11–7 11–7 8–11 8–11 12–10 |
| 2023
|bgcolor="99FB98"|Win (5) |10–12 11–3 11–8 8–11 11–9 |
Personal life
Coll's uncle was the New Zealand rugby league player Tony Coll.{{cite news |last1=Kenny |first1=Jake |last2=Kermeen |first2=Mat |last3=Smith |first3=Tony |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/300012956/former-kiwis-captain-and-west-coast-community-leader-tony-coll-dies|title=Former Kiwis captain and West Coast community leader Tony Coll dies |date=14 May 2020 |work=Stuff |access-date=15 May 2020}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913070044/http://www.psaworldtour.com/page/PlayerProfile/0,,13121~2778,00.html |title=Paul Coll – PSA World Tour profile |date=dmy}}
- {{PSA|2778}}
- {{Squash Info|5974}}
- {{NZOC profile}}
{{Squash World Number Ones (men)}}
{{2014 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{2018 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{2022 New Zealand Commonwealth Games team}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coll, Paul}}
Category:New Zealand male squash players
Category:Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand
Category:Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for New Zealand
Category:Commonwealth Games medallists in squash
Category:Squash players at the 2014 Commonwealth Games
Category:Squash players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Sportspeople from Greymouth
Category:People educated at Christchurch Boys' High School
Category:Squash players at the 2022 Commonwealth Games
Category:Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Category:Medallists at the 2018 Commonwealth Games