New Zealand squash players have taken both singles titles at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
NZ squash player Joelle King Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Unseeded Paul 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 of Australia in the title decider.
But no-one told the 23-year-old New Zealander that, as he 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.
Meanwhile, fellow New Zealander Joelle King's victory was more straightforward in the women's draw.
The former world No.4, 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 of Hong Kong 11-5 11-6 11-9.
