Paul Coll & Nele Gillis crowned 2023 New Zealand Squash Open Champions

Paul Coll of New Zealand and Nele Gilis of Belgium won the men’s and women’s titles at the 2023 New Zealand Open Squash Championships with straight-game wins in their respective finals at the Mercury Baypark Arena in Tauranga. Paul Coll avenged his loss in last year's final by defeating England’s Marwan ElShorbagy 11-6 11-6 11-6, while Nele Gilis overcame her sister Tinne 11-8 11-3 11-8 with an equally commanding performance.

In front of a capacity crowd at the Mercury Baypark Arena, Paul Coll demonstrated his trademark agility and relentless play, dominating the match from the outset. The top seed claimed all three games 11-6 with the second seeded Englishman, despite valiant efforts following a taxing semi-final match the previous night, unable to match the Kiwi’s intensity.

The women's final witnessed another impressive performance from Nele Gilis who triumphed over her younger sister Tinne in 51 minutes. As the top seed and a familiar figure to the Tauranga crowd due to her engagement to Paul Coll, Nele established an early lead with a hard-fought 11-8 win in the opening game lasting 17 minutes.

The second game, which she won 11-3, saw Nele extend her dominance and although Tinne fought hard in the third as she attempted a comeback, the younger Belgium was unable to consistently penetrate her sister's formidable defences. Nele closed-out the match, winning the third game 11-8, to claim the title and secure her second championship victory of the season.

Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Men’s Finals:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (42m)

Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Women's Semi-Finals:
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 11-8, 11-3, 11-8 (51m)

Top seed and home favourite Paul Coll will face 2nd seed Marwan ElShorbagy  of England in the final of the Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open, whilst Nele Gilis of Belgium will be up against her younger sister Tinne Gillis the final of the Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023.

[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [4] Victor Crouin (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 2-11, 12-10 (78m)
Paul Coll secured his place in the final of the Lucino Vanities Mne’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023 by triumphing over a resilient Victor Crouin of France. Last year's runner-up, Paul Coll, asserted his dominance early on, clinching the opening two games 11-7 11-8.

However, in a twist, the focus of Paul Coll seemed to waver during the third game, allowing Victor Crouin to capitalise fully. The No.4 seed from France unleashed a relentless offensive, overwhelming the Kiwi title favourite by taking the third game 11-2 to shake up the match dynamics.

However, Paul Coll rallied back in the fourth game, visibly regaining his composure to take close-out the match by winning the a deserved hard-fought fourth game 12-10, to edge himself across the finish line and into the final.

[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [3] Joel Makin (WAL) 7-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 (83m)
Marwan ElShorbagy secured his place in the final of the Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open following a sensational semi-final victory over Joel Makin, delivering a match that stood out as the highlight of the day's action. In a gripping encounter, Marwan ElShorbagy demonstrated incredible resilience by clawing back from a daunting two-game deficit against Wales' Joel Makin.

Initially, the No.2 seed found himself in a precarious position as the No.3 seed, Joel Makin, surged ahead with authoritative opening phase of the match which saw him win the first two games 11-7 11-3.

Remarkably, Marwan ElShorbagy opted for a strategy involving engaging in gruelling, protracted rallies with Joel Makin, renowned as one of the fittest squash players on the PSA World Tour. This tactical decision paid dividends, showing Marwan ElShorbagy's agility across the court and his precision in executing attacking shots.

The calculated approach proved successful as Marwan ElShorbagy mounted a remarkable comeback, claiming the next three games 11-6 11-5 11-8 to bring an enthralling conclusion to the match.

[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [4] Aifa Azman (MAS) 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-6 (38m)
In front of an enthusiastic crowd, Nele Gilis, a popular figure in New Zealand partly due to her engagement to local squash star Paul Coll, received resounding support as she kicked off her semi-final match strongly, clinching the first game 11-8 against Malaysian Aifa Azman.

Aifa Azman, known for her aggressive and daring playing style, provided an intriguing contrast to the methodical approach of her opponent Nele Gillis. The Malaysian fourth seed retaliated in the second game, showing her attacking flair to win the game 11-6 and level the match.

However, Nele Gilis regained momentum in the third game, surging ahead against Aifa Azman, who visibly grappled with escalating injury concerns towards the latter stages of the game. Nele Gilis dominated the game to win it 11-3.

Facing injury woes, Aifa Azman sought treatment before the fourth game. Despite her return to the court, she struggled to keep up with her opponents more attacking approach, allowing the Belgian to comfortably win the game 11-6 to secure her place in the final.

[2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [3] Tesni Evans (WAL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (28m)
Tinne Gilis earned her place in the final of the 2023 Barfoot & Thompson Women’s New Zealand Squash Open, setting up a showdown against her sister Nele, following a straight-game victory over Wales' Tesni Evans.

Tinne Gilis started the match with remarkable momentum against the third-seeded Tesni Evans, claiming the initial two games convincingly 11-6 11-4 by capitalising on Tesni Evans' struggles to find her rhythm.

In a turnaround during the third game, Tesni Evans displayed a marked improvement, swiftly taking a 5-1 lead. However, Tinne Gilis steadily closed the gap, levelling the score at 8-8 before ultimately seizing control to secure the game 11-9.

Her commanding performance sees Tinne Gilis set the stage for a captivating final clash against her sibling Nele, promising an intriguing showdown between the Gilis sisters for the championship title.

Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Men’s Semi-Finals:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [4] Victor Crouin (FRA) 11-7, 11-8, 2-11, 12-10 (78m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [3] Joel Makin (WAL) 7-11, 3-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-8 (83m)

Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Women's Semi-Finals:
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [4] Aifa Azman (MAS) 11-8, 6-11, 11-3, 11-6 (38m)
[2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [3] Tesni Evans (WAL) 11-6, 11-4, 11-9 (28m)

The Mercury Arena in Tauranga played hosted to several exciting quarter-final matches of this year’s New Zealand Squash Open.

In the Lucino Vanities New Zealand Men’s Squash Open, 2nd seed Marwan ElShorbagy orchestrated an enthralling comeback against Patrick Rooney, eventually prevailing 11-5 10-12 4-11 11-7 11-9 in a closely contested 65-minute match to secure a spot in the semi-finals against Wales’ Joel Makin who defeated Baptiste Masotti of France 11-7 13-11 11-9 in 50 minutes.

Home favourite Paul Coll continued his impeccable run, maintaining a flawless record in the event to date with an 11-8 11-7 11-2 victory over Auguste Dussourd of France. The New Zealander’s semi-final clash will be against France’s Victor Crouin, who registered an 11-5 11-8 11-7 victory over French compatriot Gregoire Marche.

In the quarter-finals of the Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women’s Squash Open, top seed Nele Gilis faced a formidable challenge against World No.28 Lucy Beecroft. Initially trailing 0-2 with Lucy Beecroft executing an aggressive and tactically precise game plan, before Nele Gilis rallied back impressively to secure a 50-minute 9-11 7-11 11-5 11-5 11-8 victory.

Awaiting Nele Gilis in the semi-finals will be the No.4 seed Aifa Azman from Malaysia, who convincingly sailed through her match against Hong Kong’s Ka Yi Lee, winning 11-3 11-8 11-6 in 24 minutes.

The top seed’s younger Tinne Gilis will face last year’s runner-up Tesni Evans of Wales in the semi-finals after dispatching Hong Kong’s Tsz-Wing Tong 11-4 11-7 11-9, while Tensi Evans showed her renowned tenacity to overcome Tomato Ho, also from Hong Kong, 10-12 11-8 11-8 11-6 in 51 minutes.

Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Men’s Quarter-Finals:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt [6] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) 11-8, 11-7, 11-2 (44m)
[4] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [8] Grégoire Marche (FRA) 11-5, 11-8, 11-7 (50m)
[3] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [5] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 11-7, 13-11, 11-9 (50m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) 11-5, 10-12, 4-11, 11-7, 11-9 (65m)

Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Women's Quarter-Finals:
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [5] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) 9-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5, 11-8 (59m)
[4] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [8] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) 11-3, 11-8, 11-6 (24m)
[3] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [6] Tomato Ho (HKG) 10-12, 11-8, 11-8, 11-6 (51m)
[2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [7] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 (33m)

An enthralling and entertaining day at the New Zealand Squash Open saw remarkable comebacks and dominant performances as players fought to secure a place in the quarter-finals.

In the Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women’s Squash Open, Tomato Ho of Hong Kong showed tremendous resilience, rallying from a two-game deficit against Egypt’s Malak Khafagy. Struggling early on, Tomato Ho faced a daunting 2-0 scoreline before staging an impressive turnaround, clawing her way back with a determined display to secure a tense five-game victory to earning herself a spot against Tesni Evans in the quarter-finals.

In the Lucino Vanities New Zealand Men’s Squash Open, France’s Victor Crouin faced a fierce challenge against Germany’s Raphael Kandra. Initially trailing 2-0, a situation reminiscent of their encounter at the British Open, Victor Crouin staged a remarkable reversal, adapting his strategy to navigate past his opponent’s formidable defence to eventually secure his spot in the quarter-finals.

Meanwhile, the home favourite and last year’s finalist, Paul Coll, delivered a commanding performance in his return to the championship. Facing Indian World No.63 Velavan Senthilkumar, Paul Coll showed his prowess to secure an impressive 11-7 11-1 11-2 victory.

Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Men’s 2nd Round:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bt Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) 11-7, 11-1, 11-2 (27m)
[6] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) bt [9/16] Timothy Brownell (USA) 11-9, 11-9, 11-8 (43m)
[8] Grégoire Marche (FRA) bt [9/16] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) 11-7, 10-12, 11-5, 11-7 (59m)
[4] Victor Crouin (FRA) bt [9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) 8-11, 7-11, 11-2, 11-2, 11-4 (63m)
[3] Joel Makin (WAL) bt [9/16] Rory Stewart (SCO) 11-7, 11-7, 11-5 (48m)
[5] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) bt Abhay Singh (IND) 11-8, 11-5, 11-1 (24m)
[9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt [7] Adrian Waller (ENG) 9-11, 11-4, 11-5, 11-5 (43m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bt [9/16] David Baillargeon (CAN) 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (32m)

Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Women's 2nd Round:
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Low Wee Wern (MAS) 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (24m)
[5] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bt [9/16] Aira Azman (MAS) 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 10-12, 13-11 (64m)
[8] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bt [9/16] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 11-6, 11-5, 11-6 (22m)
[4] Aifa Azman (MAS) bt [9/16] Marie Stéphan (FRA) 11-9, 11-1, 8-11, 7-11, 11-4 (38m)
[3] Tesni Evans (WAL) bt Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) 11-3, 11-3, 11-9 (22m)
[6] Tomato Ho (HKG) bt [9/16] Malak Khafagy (EGY) 5-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6, 12-10 (59m)
[7] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bt [9/16] Ainaa Amani (MAS) 11-3, 11-6, 11-7 (29m)
[2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bt [9/16] Saskia Beinhard (GER) 11-5, 11-4, 11-6 (29m)

Lucino Vanities Men’s New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Men’s 1st Round:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) bye
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) bt [9/16] Shahjahan Khan (USA) 11-5, 11-1, 5-11, 9-11, 11-9 (52m)
[9/16] Timothy Brownell (USA) bt Tom Walsh (ENG) 11-6, 14-12, 11-8 (38m)
[6] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) bye
[8] Grégoire Marche (FRA) bye
[9/16] Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN) bt Simon Herbert (ENG) 14-12, 11-5, 11-8 (30m)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) bt Addeen Idrakie (MAS) 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 (27m)
[4] Victor Crouin (FRA) bye
[3] Joel Makin (WAL) bye
[9/16] Rory Stewart (SCO) bt [WC] Elijah Thomas (NZL) 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (27m)
Abhay Singh (IND) bt [9/16] Andrew Douglas (USA) 11-7, 4-11, 11-13, 11-5, 11-4 (58m)
[5] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) bye
[7] Adrian Waller (ENG) bye
[9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG) bt Yannick Wilhelmi (SUI) 11-7, 11-5, 11-6 (29m)
[9/16] David Baillargeon (CAN) bt Martin Svec (CZE) 11-5, 11-6, 11-4 (26m)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) bye

Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open 2023, Mercury Arena, Tauranga, New Zealand
Women's 1st Round:
[1] Nele Gilis (BEL) bye
[9/16] Low Wee Wern (MAS) bt Alex Haydon (AUS) 11-3, 4-11, 7-11, 11-3, 14-12 (55m)
[9/16] Aira Azman (MAS) bt Akanksha Salunkhe (IND) 11-5, 11-7, 11-9 (21m)
[5] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) bye
[8] Ka Yi Lee (HKG) bye
[9/16] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt Nadia Pfister (SUI) 11-8, 11-7, 14-12 (26m)
[9/16] Marie Stéphan (FRA) bt Sophie Fadaely (AUS) 11-3, 11-4, 11-0 (17m)
[4] Aifa Azman (MAS) bye
[3] Tesni Evans (WAL) bye
Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) bt [9/16] Alicia Mead (ENG) 11-6, 11-2, 11-9 (24m)
[9/16] Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt Kaitlyn Watts (NZL) 11-8, 11-4, 11-5 (26m)
[6] Tomato Ho (HKG) bye
[7] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG) bye
[9/16] Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 11-3, 14-12, 11-7 (25m)
[9/16] Saskia Beinhard (GER) bt [WC] Ella Lash (NZL) 11-9, 11-13, 11-4, 11-7 (37m)
[2] Tinne Gilis (BEL) bye

The Professional Squash Association (PSA) have confirmed that Ōtautahi Christchurch will be the host city for both the 2025 and 2026 editions of the New Zealand Squash Open, which will attract the best squash players from around the world.

Having debuted in the mid-1970s, the New Zealand Squash Open has experienced a resurgence in recent years. Tauranga notably and successfully played host to the event in 2022, with the forthcoming 2023 New Zealand Squash Open also set to grace its courts.

New Zealand's leading squash players Paul Coll and Joelle King are set to headline the upcoming New Zealand Squash Open 2023, a PSA World Tour Silver event scheduled to take place from the 5th to 19th December at the Mercury Arena in Tauranga.

New Zealand No.1 Paul Coll is the top seed for the Robertson Lodges New Zealand Men’s Squash Open 2023. The recently crowned U.S. Open Squash Champion will begin his campaign against the winner of the match between Velavan Senthilkumar and America's Shahjahan Khan, having earned a bye in the first round. Paul Coll, who reached the final of the 2022 New Zealand Squash Open, is then anticipated to face Frenchman Auguste Dussourd in the quarter-finals, with a potential semi-final clash against World No.11 Victor Crouin.

In the bottom half of the men's draw, the No.2 seed, Marwan ElShorbagy, and Joel Makin, the runner-up of the Grasshopper Cup 2023, are looking to make their mark. Marwan ElShorbagy is set to start his title challenge against either Canada's David Baillargeon or Martin Svec, while Makin is seeded to square off against Rory Stewart in his opening match.

In the Barfoot & Thompson Women's New Zealand Squash Open, defending champion Joelle King will also receive a first-round bye. She will face either England's Alicia Mead or Malaysia's Low Wee Wern in round two. The World No.4 is then seeded to meet England's Lucy Beecroft in the quarter-finals, with a potential semi-final clash against QTerminals Qatar Squash Classic semi-finalist Tinne Gilis.

Meanwhile, No.2 seed Amanda Sobhy finds herself in the same quarter as last year's runner-up, Tesni Evans. This bottom half of the draw also features Belgium's Nele Gilis and Tomato Ho. World No.5 Amanda Sobhy, a three-time semi-finalist and a runner-up already this season, is set to face one of Danielle Letourneau or Saskia Beinhard in her opening match.

Adding a local flavour to the main draw are wildcard entries Kaitlyn Watts and Elijah Thomas, who are set to compete against Malak Khafagy and Scotland's Rory Stewart, respectively.

Robertson Lodges New Zealand Men’s Squash Open 2023
Men’s Draw:
[1] Paul Coll (NZL) [bye]
Velavan Senthilkumar (IND) v [9/16] Shahjahan Khan (USA)
[9/16] Timothy Brownell (USA) v Ryunosuke Tsukue (JPN)
[7] Auguste Dussourd (FRA) [bye]
[6] Saurav Ghosal (IND) [bye]
Simon Herbert (FRA) v [9/16] Ramit Tandon (IND)
[9/16] Raphael Kandra (GER) v Addeen Idrakie (MAS)
[4] Victor Crouin (FRA) [bye]
[3] Joel Makin [bye]
[WC] Elijah Thomas (NZL) v [9/16] Rory Stewart (SCO)
[9/16] Gregoire Marche (FRA) v Abhay Singh (IND)
[5] Baptiste Masotti (FRA) [bye]
[8] Adrian Waller (ENG) [bye]
Andrew Douglas (USA) v [9/16] Patrick Rooney (ENG)
[9/16] David Baillargeon (CAN) v Martin Svec (CZE)
[2] Marwan ElShorbagy (ENG) [bye]

Barfoot & Thompson New Zealand Women's Squash Open 2023
Women’s Draw:
[1] Joelle King (NZL) [bye]
Alicia Mead (ENG) v [9/16] Low Wee Wern (MAS)
[9/16] Aira Azman (MAS) v Akanksha Salunkhe (IND)
[7] Lucy Beecroft (ENG) [bye]
[6] Aifa Azman (MAS) [bye]
Nadia Pfister (SUI) v [9/16] Tsz-Wing Tong (HKG)
[9/16] Marie Stephan (FRA) Ainaa Amani (MAS)
[4] Tinne Gilis (BEL) [bye]
[3] Nele Gilis (BEL) [bye]
Cheng Nga Ching (HKG) v [9/16] Ka Yi Lee (HKG)
[9/16] Malak Khafagy (EGY) v [WC] Kaitlyn Watts (NZL)
[8] Tomato Ho (HKG) [bye]
[5] Tesni Evans (WAL) [bye]
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) v [9/16] Marina Stefanoni (USA)
[9/16] Danielle Letourneau (CAN) v Saskia Beinhard (GER)
[2] Amanda Sobhy (USA) [bye]