Pakistan’s rising squash star Noor Zaman produced a remarkable upset on Wednesday, defeating defending champion and world No. 4 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt to advance to the quarter-finals of the PSA Gold Silicon Valley Open in Redwood City, California.
The 22-year-old Pakistani overcame the tournament’s second seed 3-1, winning 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in an intense 52-minute encounter at Squash Zone.
Following his impressive victory, Noor expressed confidence in his ability to compete against the world’s leading players.
“I was ready mentally and physically today, and I think now is the time for me to beat the top players,” he said after the match.
Noor Continues Impressive Tournament Run
The Peshawar-born player had earlier secured his place in the last 16 with a comeback victory over American wildcard Bransten Ming.
After losing the opening game 3-11, Noor recovered strongly to claim the next three games 11-5, 11-8, 11-9, completing the contest in 41 minutes.
Noor, the grandson of former world squash champion Qamar Zaman, has established himself as one of Pakistan’s most promising young players.
The 2025 Under-23 world champion has enjoyed a successful run on the professional circuit, collecting five PSA titles and climbing into the world’s top 30 during his recent rise.
His victory over Abdel Gawad represents another significant achievement in his growing international career.
Ashab Irfan Exits in Last 16
Meanwhile, fellow Pakistani Mohammad Ashab Irfan was eliminated in the round of 16 after suffering a straight-games defeat against fifth seed Mohamed ElShorbagy.
Irfan had previously advanced with a convincing 3-0 victory over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas, winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-5.
The $143,500 PSA World Tour Gold tournament features equal prize money for its men’s and women’s competitions.
The event comes as squash prepares to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, providing an important international stage for emerging players such as Noor Zaman.