Kiwi Double at Australian Open

Paul Coll and Joelle King completed a successful raid across the Tasman with victories in their respective finals at the prestigious Australian Open in Melbourne.

Unseeded Coll, who had accounted for the fourth, fifth and seventh seeds on his way to the final, was a distant underdog against top seed Cameron Pilley in the title decider. So convinced was 23-year-old Coll that he wouldn’t be in the Finals or the Semi-Finals, he booked a flight back to New Zealand for Saturday afternoon.

The 23-year-old Kiwi got into his work early to take the first game 11-7. Pilley bounced back to claim the second game 11- 5, heaping the pressure straight back onto Coll. But the young New Zealander rallied brilliantly, holding his nerve to win the next two games, completing a sensational 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 victory. 

This was the first time a New Zealander has won the Australian men’s title. “I never even imagined being here,” Coll said. “There was massive butterflies before I even started, as soon as I walked in here I saw the crowd, I knew it was something special."

“But I had nothing to lose, my coach just told me to relax, I’d already done well, so I played with a bit of freedom tonight.” Pilley, who lost his only other Australian Open final in five games, recently invited Coll to train with him in The Netherlands.

Coll said he hopes the training relationship will continue. “He’s a great guy, and we have some great training sessions together,” Coll said. “We get on well, I hope he keeps on with me, he’s a really experienced player and I can still learn a hell of a lot from him.”

Meanwhile, fellow Kiwi Joelle King's victory was more straight forward in the women's draw.

The former world number four, who is on the comeback from a ruptured Achilles, showed she has largely put the six month enforced break behind her as she downed top seed Annie Au 11-5, 11-6, 11-9.

It was an emotional Joelle King who claimed the women’s title, in just her second tournament back after a serious Achilles injury. “As soon as I finished the match I got quite emotional,” King said. “You just remember all the work you’ve done leading up to that moment. It’s been a long ride.”

King is setting her sights on climbing back up the world rankings, after slipping into the 50’s since her injury.

She believes her win in Melbourne shows getting back to number four is achievable. “Definitely, there’s no reason why not,” she said. “Anything is possible, especially when I think back to where I was eight or nine months ago, and where I am now.

“I think there’s still a lot of room for improvement, I’m still not exactly where I want to be – so look out top ten!”

If you missed the games you canwatch them again here

Both player will now move into the Senior nationals in a couple of weeks time in Christchurch. 

Quarter Finals

(2) Joelle King bt (8) Donna Urquhart (Australia) - 11-4,7-11,12-10,12-10 - 50mins

Paul Coll bt (4) Leo Au (Hong Kong) - 11-9,11-6,11-8 - 51mins

Semi-Finals

(2) Joelle King bt (4) Delia Arnold (Malaysia) - 14-12,11-2,11-7 - 37mins

Paul Coll bt Nasir Iqbal (5) (Pakistan) - 7-11, 11-3, 9-11, 11-5, 11-6 - 1hr 5mins

Finals

(2) Joelle King bt (1) Annie Au (Hong Kong) 11-5, 11-6, 11-9 - 36mins

Paul Coll bt (1) Cameron Pilley (AUS) 11-7, 5-11, 11-6, 11-5 - 1hr 22mins