It’s the last day of Singles competition in Birmingham, but where will the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals be going ??? It’s also the start of the Doubles competitions, with Mixed Round One from 10.00 – check the draws and results
Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 3-2 Joelle King (Nzl) 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 14-12 (75m)
Saurav Ghosal (Ind) 3-0 James Willstrop (Eng) 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 (33m)
[3/4] Gina Kennedy (Eng) 3-1 [5/8] Hollie Naughton (Can) 11-7, 11-5, 12-14, 11-5 (47m)
[1] Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-2 [2] Joel Makin (Wal) 3-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-8, 11-7 (102m)
Coll takes Gold in five game thriller
New Zealand top seed Paul Coll redeemed his 2018 final loss as he beat Wales’ Joel Makin in a five game thriller that took 95 minutes to complete.
“I was battling with wanting it too much earlier.,” said Coll.
“It’s such an amazing team environment. I was hurting at the end and everyone who came out gave me a lot of energy to push through.
“I’m over the moon and I can’t wait to go back to the village with the gold draped around my neck.”
Kennedy wins Gold
Gina Kennedy is the first Englishwoman to win Commonwealth Games Squash Gold after a thrilling four game win over Hollie Naughton.
Dominant in the first two games, Kennedy came from 4-10 down to force extra points in the third. She had a match ball but Naughton edged it only for Kennedy to streak ahead in the fourth before claiming the title 11-7, 11-5, 12-14, 11-5.
“I wish I could put into words what this means to me.
“But I honestly can’t. It’s a dream and this dream has become reality and I’ve been thinking about how it would feel for so long.
“I’ve been building up for this for two years now and now it’s happened I’m a bit speechless. To be the first Englishwoman amongst the calibre of players that we have to do it is unbelievable. I could end my career today and be beyond happy after that, winning that gold medal.”
SJ comeback secures Bronze as Ghosal pips Willstrop
In a repeat of the 2018 Gold Coast final, England’s Sarah-Jane Perry produced a fantastic comeback to avenge her defeat at the hands of Joelle King in that final.
King started the stronger, and at two games and 8-4 up it looked to be her day. But Perry won the next seven points to pull a game back and then the fourth to set up a decider. The fifth was nip and tuck but it was King who had the first opportunities at 10-9 then 11-10. Perry saved those match balls and then took the match on her second opportunity for a 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 14-12 win in 75 minutes.
In the men’s Bronze match India’s Saurav Ghosal was on top throughout against the 2018 champion James Willstrop, winning 11-6, 11-1, 11-4 in half an hour’s play.
