HEAD athlete, World #2, and NZ #1 Paul Coll etched his name into the history books once again after claiming his third British Open title.
Coll was able to win his third title after a strong showing across three games, with the World No.1 Asal having to retire from the match suffering the effects of an intense battle with Diego Elias, which lasted 115 minutes.
The opening game of the final more than lived up to expectations, with both players refusing to give an inch in a fiercely contested battle. After a gruelling 21-minute opener, it was World No.1 Mostafa Asal who edged ahead, taking the first game 11-9.
The momentum quickly shifted in the second, however, as Asal began to show signs of fatigue against New Zealand's Paul Coll. Displaying trademark patience and relentless work rate, Coll took control of the rallies and capitalised on his opportunities to level the match with a commanding 11-3 game.
Coll carried that momentum into the third, continuing to pressure Asal across all four corners of the court. As the Egyptian's unforced errors mounted, the World No.2 remained composed and clinical, claiming the game 11-6 to move within one game of the title.
After the third game, Asal left the court to receive treatment from the physio, with his demanding semi-final against Diego Elias appearing to have taken a significant physical toll. Despite Coll waiting on court for his opponent's return, Asal was ultimately unable to continue, conceding the match and handing Coll his second British Open crown—his first since lifting the trophy in 2022.
"It's been an amazing week. Mostafa [Asal] had a brutal one yesterday, but I still had to get him today, make him hurt, pick up as much as possible and I'm very happy with that performance. I put in a lot of work since the World Champs to flip the script, very happy with my mentality and squash this week.
"The confidence was always there – it was just about execution. Since the Aussie Open I was focused on World Champs and I got hyper focused on one thing. In training I've been hitting the ball really well and the things I've been working on have been really good."