Paul Coll is through to the world squash championships final in Doha, the first New Zealander in 33 years to make the playoff for the world title.
Paul Coll Photo: SquashPics.com
The 27-year-old Greymouth player took 84 minutes to down Egypt's Marwan El Shorbagy 9-11 11-9 8-11 11-6 11-7.
World No.5 Coll is the first New Zealander to make the final since Ross Norman won the tournament over Pakistan's Jahangir Khan in 1986.
Coll will now play second seed and world No.2 Tarek Momen of Egypt in tomorrow's final.
The pair have played six times with the score at three apiece, although Coll won the last time they played, earlier this year in the final of the Canary Wharf Classic.
"I feel over the moon, it is a pretty surreal feeling," he said afterwards.
"Marwan is one of the best in the game at winning quick points and he did exactly that at the start of the first three games.
"I was kicking myself because my game plan to not let him do that.
"I did not feel like I was playing terrible squash, there were just a few wrong shot selections."
Coll said he concentrated on staying focused, and worked hard to improve his finishing.
"I didn't want to get down on myself... I knew I was doing the right thing, just executing that final shot was very key.
"I wasn't even thinking at the end there, I was just trying to run my backside off and trying to volley as much as possible and push up the court.
"I had to make him work and I tried to put the pace through the roof."
Coll said while he was happy to win, and enjoying the moment, his focus was already sharpening on the final.
"Tomorrow is the biggest match possible and I want to be firing for that."
