Paul Coll has beaten Mohamed ElShorbagy at the PSA World Championships. Photo: supplied
New Zealand's Paul Coll has booked his place in the semi-finals of the 2023-24 PSA World Tour Championships, outlasting 2017 World Champion Mohamed ElShorbagy to win 3-0 in Egypt.
ElShorbagy was looking to soak up the pressure and hit world number two Coll with the angles, while Coll was content to make the rallies as long and physical as he could.
The opening game was extremely tight with ElShorbagy saving two game balls, to then hold two game ball opportunities of his own, but he wasn't able to convert as Coll came back to take a 1-0 lead.
The importance of that first game was evident as ElShorbagy appeared to tire physically in the second, making more errors as Coll took the game.
The third game followed quickly as ElShorbagy went for winner after winner, frequently finding the tin.
That handed Coll a 14-12, 11-6, 11-2 win, with the West Coaster to take on World No 3 Mostafa Asal overnight, as he chases a place in his second PSA World Championship final.
"I didn't want to get tied down on the backhand, he's so accurate there and hard to compete with," Coll said.
"I had to shift it at the right times and attack him when I could. At 10-8 up [in the first game], he came at me like a rocket, so it put me on the back foot, which I knew he was going to do at some stage because he's so good at changing styles and aggression. I managed to sneak that game, which I think was pretty crucial.
"I was never easing up, I wanted to keep it quite open and physical. I'm very happy with how I handled the conditions and he's always made me a bit nervous playing him, so I'm happy with that win."
Result
Paul Coll beat Mohamed ElShorbagy 3-0: 14-12, 11-6, 11-2.