Makin Downs Defending Champion Coll To Make Hong Kong Semis

Welshman Joel Makin stunned defending Milwaukee Hong Kong Open champion Paul Coll to reach the semi-finals of the PSA Squash Tour Platinum event after downing the world No.4 in four games at Edinburgh Place.

Makin, who had already got the better of Coll earlier this season in round one of the Qatar Classic, was solid throughout against the 2023 champion.

Accurate squash into the back corners while keeping the error count low saw the Welshman take a commanding 2/0 lead, and mistakes from Coll's racket made it an uphill battle for the former world No.1.

The defending champion got a foothold back in the contest when he took the third, but more costly errors in the fourth were pounced on by Makin as the world No.8 claimed his 11-6, 11-6, 8-11, 11-4 victory.

"It was solid," Makin said afterwards. "Paul did well to switch the play, he slow-balled and went for quick attacks and he went from high to low, disrupting that rhythm I was beating him at and he broke it up well.

"I knew the quality had to be high and I had to get back on top and do what I do well.

"I'm enjoying my squash - it's been a good six months, my body's been healthy but I'm moving well and I'm showing what my squash can do. I'm really happy with that and I'm having a good week."

Makin will take on Mostafa Asal in the last four after the No.2 seed comprehensively defeated fellow Egyptian Tarek Momen 3/0.

In the women's draw, defending champion Hania El Hammamy kept her title defence on track after holding off Tinne Gilis.

El Hammamy, a two-time champion in Hong Kong, maintained her 100 per cent record over the Belgian with 14 successive wins on the PSA Squash Tour.

Excellent defensive work from El Hammamy saw her draw first blood. Gilis fought back to level after a monumental 27-minute second game despite seeing four game balls of hers saved to clinch the tiebreak 16-14.

The lengthy battle in the second seemed to have emptied more out of the tank of Gilis than El Hammamy, and as the rallies shortened in length the Egyptian was able to seal an 11-6, 14-16, 11-4, 11-7 triumph.

"I tried to push myself mentally. After the second it was very tough, very crucial and I thought she picked up a few good shots in the second and she got away with it," she said.

"Thanks to Karim [Darwish] - he was trying to fire me up after the second and was pushing me and I wanted to be aggressive as I could be from the first point in the third and I think it made a difference.

"It's the last event that I'm holding the title of and it's such a special place in Hong Kong. I have a lot of special memories here and it gives me good butterflies and good vibes to be playing in front of this crowd.

"I'm really proud to be in the semis again and I'm looking forward to it."

El Hammamy will renew her rivalry with compatriot Nouran Gohar after the world champion beat Sana Ibrahim, with the young Egyptian having to retire.

With Gohar 2/1 up and 5-2 up in the fourth, Ibrahim was caught by the back swing of the world No.2 and, after a delay in play, Ibrahim retired due to a head injury.