New Zealand squash pro Paul Coll has won the PSA World Tour's London Classi, dispatching an injured Mosta Asal in the final.
In a one-sided first set, Coll stepped up the court, playing an aggressive brand of squash as Asal struggled to find his rhythm, giving the Kiwi the first game 11-8.
The Egyptian bounced back in game two, forcing Coll onto the defensive as he began to find his marks on the attack.
Despite trailing for most of the game, Coll was able to adjust, moving to 9-8 as he looked to double his lead. Each player then had, and lost, a game ball before Asal converted 13-11.
Coll reset well in the third game, taking the first four points in a fast start. Asal began to find his way back into the game, but couldn’t stop Coll from putting together scoring runs, with the World No 2 reclaiming the advantage as he took the third game 11-7.
In a disappointing ending, Coll quickly moved into the lead, with Asal clearly struggling with injury.
The Egyptian initially tried to continue, but was eventually forced to retire hurt with the score at 8-1 to Coll, giving the top seed and defending the title.
“I’m stoked. Very happy to back it up, all the consistency I’ve been looking for this season," said Coll. “Today was all about keeping my energy up and the attacks and aggression.”
“I really enjoy playing in London. I get a really good home feeling playing here. I’ve got my coach, family and friends here. The atmosphere was wicked all week.
“I hope Mostafa’s Ok. We’ve got some big events coming up at the end of the season. It was a real battle today and he really took it to me and I had to be on my mettle. It was hard, fast squash. Injuries like that happen and I hope it’s not bad. I’m sure we’ll have another battle in a couple of weeks.
“Congrats to [tournament promoter] Tim Garner for finding a new location and giving it the same vibe as the Canary Wharf Classic. That was one of my favourite events on tour and it was a shame to see it go, but to have this as a replacement is amazing."
It is the second consecutive title in a row for Coll, who last month won the Optasia Championships in London.