[4] Paul Coll -05- (NZL) def [9] Marwan ElShorbagy -10- (EGY)
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-check-circle”] Semifinal Score: 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 (84m)
Match recap from Squash Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the 2019 PSA Mens World Championship.
Paul Coll has never reached the Final of a Major. He cracked the top-10 for the first time 2-years-ago, just before the 2017 Qatar Classic , where – oddly enough – he fell to Marwan Elshorbagy in the 1st-Round. Last April, Coll reached the top-5 after capturing his 13th career title at Canary Wharf, earning his debut spot in the PSA World Tour Final.
This season, Superman is flying again. He began by winning his 14th title in Nantes, reached the Quarters at the US Open, the Semifinals of the Egptian Open, and tomorrow – will battle Tarek Momen to become World Champion.
That’s a remarkable 24-months. Clark Kent has shed his spectacles and hair gel for a red cape and tights.
It hasn’t been easy…
Paul Coll has spent more time on court than any other player at this year’s World Championship, thanks to a 119-minute prize-fight with Omar Mosaad and tonight’s 84-minute tactical triumph over Marwan Elshorbagy.
With the 5-game, come-from-behind victory — Paul is now the first man from New Zealand to reach the Final of the World Championship in 33-years. The last Kiwi to reach the Final was Ross Norman in 1986, when he achieved the impossible – upsetting Jahangir Khan, snapping the Pakistani great’s ridiculous 555-match win-streak.
An opportune first victory over Marwan Elshorbagy
► Nov 2019 | Coll def Elshorbagy | SF World Championship – Score: 9-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-6, 11-7 (84m)
► Feb 2018 | Elshorbagy def Coll | FF Motor City Open – Score: 11-9, 9-11, 11-8, 8-11, 11-9 (96m)
► Nov 2017 | Elshorbagy def Coll | R1 Qatar Classic – Score: 11-13, 11-9, 11-5, 11-6 (58m)
Announcer Corner | Player Introductions
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[4] Paul Coll -05- (NZL)
With his Quarterfinal victory yesterday, New Zealand’s top-talent became the first Kiwi to reach the Semifinals of the World Championship in 31-years. And he has been tremendous this season. He started his campaign by capturing his 14th career title in Nantes. In Philly, he reached the Quarterfinals of the US Open. And just 2-weeks-ago at the Egyptian Open, he battled-through to his 4th career PSA Platinum Semifinal. This week in Doha, he’s on a win-streak again – including a 119-minute marathon victory over Omar Mosaad in Round-3 – and tonight, is competing in the World Championship Semifinals for the first time. From New Zealand – It’s a bird, it’s a plane – No, it’s World #5 – Superman Paul Coll.
► Paul Coll came into Doha after reaching his 4th Platinum Semifinal at the Egyptian Open (fell to Champion Ali Farag)
► Quarterfinalist at all the Majors last year, including Semifinal-runs at the US, Black Ball, and British Opens
▲ QF — def [14] Zahed Salem -16- (EGY) | Score: 11-8, 11-9, 11-6 (47m)
▲ R3 — def [12] Omar Mosaad -15- (EGY) | Score: 9-11, 14-12, 11-9, 6-11, 16-14 (119m)
▲ R2 — def Borja Golan -34- (ESP) | Score: 11-7, 11-4, 11-8 (40m)
▲ R1 — def [WC] Hamad Al-Amri -287- (QAT) | Score: 11-4, 11-4, 11-3 (20m)
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[9] Marwan ElShorbagy -10- (EGY)
Last night, he defeated the top-seed and World #2 Mohamed Elshorbagy to reach World Championship Semifinals for a second time. A Finalist 2-years-ago – in Manchester, he defeated defending World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad, then Ali Farag to reach the Final. That season, he went on to win 3-titles, including his first PSA Platinum in El Gouna – where he defeated his brother Mohamed in the Semis, and Ali Farag in the championship match. By season’s end, he leapt to a career-high ranking of World #3. He owns 10 PSA titles, is a 20-time Finalist on Tour, and has reached the Final of the Egyptian National Championship twice. Back in the Final-4 in Doha, where he captured his 2nd World Junior Championship 7-years-ago – From Egypt, he is the Jackal – Marwan Elshorbagy.
► Marwan is a 3-time Platinum Finalist: 2017-F Windy City Open, 2018-F Windy City Open, and 2018-W El Gouna.
► He made his World Championship debut in Rotterdam-2011 as an 18-year-old qualifier ranked outide the top-50. He won both qualifiers, his Round-1 match, then upset Daryl Selby in a 92-minute, 5th-game tiebreak to reach the Quarterfinals…where he fell to James Willstrop.
► In 2012 here in Doha, he won both the World Junior Championship (his 2nd) and the World Junior Team Championship for Egypt.
► Did not play for 7-months after the 2018 British Open, then made his return in January of 2019. In that abbreviated season, he reached the Semi’s of the Motor City Open, the Quarterfinals of the World Championship, the Semifinals in Toronto, then captured his 10th PSA title at the Wimbledon Club Open. After 7-months away, he dropped out of the PSA’s top-20 for a single month, before jumping right back up to World #11.
▲ QF — def [1] Mohamed ElShorbagy -02- (EGY) | Score: 11-6, 2-11, 11-6, 3-11, 11-8 (59m)
▲ R3 — def [7] Mohamed Abouelghar -08- (EGY) | Score: 11-4, 11-8, 11-4 (30m)
▲ R2 — def Nicolas Müller -27- (SUI) | Score: 5-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-6 (40m)
▲ R1 — def Arturo Salazar -41- (MEX) | Score: 11-4, 11-3, 11-7 (22m)
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