Men’s $30k PSA Copper, 31 Jul – 04 Aug, Karachi, Pakistan
[3] Salman Khalil (EGY) 3-0 Nasir Iqbal (PAK) 14-12, 11-3, 13-11 (42m)
Salman Khalil Wins Maiden World Events Title
World No.55 Salman Khalil has captured his first World Event title on the PSA Squash Tour after defeating Nasir Iqbal in the final of the PN Fleet Club Squash Open in Karachi.
Egypt’s Khalil, the No.3 seed, entered the final on the back of commanding victories over Yee Xian Siow, Mohamed Nasser and Muhammad Asim Khan, and he continued his fine form inside PN RKJK Squash Complex to defeat Pakistan’s Iqbal by a 14-12, 11-3, 13-11 scoreline.
The opening game of the contest saw both players wrestle for the lead, with the pair trading points all the way into a tie-break. World No.132 Iqbal saved three game balls from 10-9 down and later in the tie-break, but couldn’t stop 21-year-old Khalil from taking a crucial one-game lead.
After a one-sided second game went the way of the Egyptian, Iqbal looked to be staging the start of a comeback at 8-4 and later 10-8 up in the third game.
However, Khalil responded impressively in these pressure moments to stave off the home favourite’s attempted comeback, saving the pair of game balls and moving through to clinch the subsequent tie-break after 42 minutes of play.
PRESS: TRIBUNE – SALMAN CONQUERS NASIR
Nasir
It has been an amazing week of my squash career. My performance turned out to be the complete opposite of what I had expected.
I entered this tournament with the humble goal of winning my first and second rounds, not because I wasn’t fit, but because I was competing against the new generation, with every opponent being at least ten years younger than me. Everywhere I went, I kept hearing, “The players in this tournament are very strong and extremely fit.” On top of that, our exceptionally talented World Junior Champion and World U-23 Champion were also competing. I was genuinely rooting for them, hoping that if I can not make it, at least one of them would lift the trophy.
But sometimes sport has a way of surprising everyone. Asim Khan and I managed to surprise the younger generation with our performances and victories against them. It was a reminder that experience, belief, and determination can still make the difference.
I would like to thank all my supporters, friends, and well wishers for your unconditional love, prayers, and encouragement throughout this journey.
A special thanks to my department, WAPDA, for their continuous support. I am deeply grateful to my coaches, Fahim, Tahir Iqbal Khan and my trainer Faraz Khan, whose guidance has always been invaluable. I would also like to sincerely appreciate Anees Bhai for the outstanding work he has done as my fitness coach. Every one of you equally deserves respect and appreciation for the role you played in my performance at this prestigious event.
Alhamdulillah for everything. The journey continues. 💪🇵🇰🏆
Day Four: Semis
Home Favourite Iqbal Storms Into PN Fleet Club Squash Open Final
Pakistan’s Nasir Iqbal stormed into his first World Event final after defeating No.7 seed Yassin Elshafei in straight games.
Unseeded Iqbal set up a final with No.3 seed Salman Khalil as he continued his standout form inside PN RKJK Squash Complex. The World No.78 needed just 24 minutes to wrap up his win over Egypt’s Elshafei, who currently sits 54 spots above him in the PSA World Rankings.
After moving away in the mid-stages of the first game, the 32-year-old wasn’t to be stopped, backing up his previous wins over Louai Hafez, No.5 seed Yassin Shohdy and Hamza Khan courtesy of an 11-5, 11-7, 11-5 victory.
Meanwhile, in the second semi-final, Egypt’s Khalil ended the run of Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan in four games.
Salman Khalil
Asim Khan, who defeated top seed Noor Zaman in the previous round, always looked on the back foot in the 57-minute contest, falling two games down by 11-7 and 11-5 scorelines.
Despite pulling back the third game 11-7, the comeback wasn’t to be for Asim Khan, with Khalil wrapping up the match by an 11-5 scoreline to advance to the second World Event final of his career.
PRESS – NASIR TO FACE KHALIL IN THE FINAL
Day Three: Quarters
Asim Khan Takes Down Top Seed Zaman To Gatecrash PN Fleet Club Open Semi-Finals
Pakistan No.8 seed Muhammad Asim Khan has gatecrashed the semi-finals after stunning top seed Noor Zaman. World No.78 Asim Khan, an 11-time winner on the PSA Tour, delivered a superb performance to battle back from a game behind to defeat World No.29 Zaman by a 9-11, 11-9, 11-1, 11-3 scoreline.
Despite losing a nip-and-tuck opening game, Asim Khan only moved from strength to strength as the match moved into its latter stages, clinching victory after 56 minutes to set up a semi-final with No.3 seed Salman Khalil.
Egypt’s Khalil, meanwhile, delivered a composed performance to see off No.6 seed Mohamed Nasser by an 11-5, 11-5, 13-11 scoreline.
In the bottom half of the draw, unseeded Pakistan hopeful Nasir Iqbal and No.7 seed Yassin Elsafei were the two players to advance to the last four.
World No.133 Iqbal continued his fine form in Karachi courtesy of a thrilling 11-5, 12-10, 8-11, 9-11, 11-5 win over fellow home hope Hamza Khan.
Despite 2023 World Junior Champion Khan threatening a comeback after rallying from two games down to force a decider, Iqbal steadied the ship just in time to edge past the 20-year-old after 52 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, Elshafei ended the impressive run of unseeded Egyptian Aly Tolba in a tense five-game battle, eventually coming through the contest by an 11-4, 6-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7 scoreline after 50 minutes of quick-fire action.
PRESS – TRIBUNE ASIM KHAN STUNS NOOR ZAMAN
Day Two:
Pakistan duo Hamza Khan and Nasir Iqbal delighted the home crowds with a pair of seedings upsets on day two of the PN Fleet Club Squash Open 2026, advancing to the quarter-finals of the Copper-level event in Karachi.
2023 World Junior Champion Khan has enjoyed prior success on home soil on the PSA Squash Tour, having finished runner-up at the CAS International last November, and the 20-year-old continued this trend with a stunning five-game win against No.4 seed David Bernet.
Despite twice falling behind, Khan battled back bravely to secure an 11-13, 14-12, 9-11, 11-7, 11-5 victory inside PN RKJK Squash Complex after 70 minutes of play.
Khan was joined in the last-eight of the Copper event by compatriot Iqbal, who also caused a seeding upset with a comprehensive 11-9, 11-5, 11-3 win over No.5 seed Yassin Shohdy.
Elsewhere, unseeded Egyptian Aly Tolba continued his career-best run, backing up his maiden World Events victory with a thrilling five-game upset over No.2 seed Karim El Hammamy.
In an 85-minute contest which saw momentum swing this way and that, it was the World No.120 who saved three match balls in the fifth game to clinch an 11-8, 11-13, 11-4, 6-11, 14-12 victory.
Other winners on day two of action included Pakistan duo Noor Zaman and Muhammad Asim Khan, who kickstarted their title quests with victories over Diego Gobbi and Matthew Lai.
Egyptian trio No.3 seed Salman Khalil, No.6 seed Mohamed Nasser and No.7 seed Yassin Elsafei were the three final players to reach the quarter-finals, defeating Yee Xian Siow, Naoki Hayashi and Abdullah Hafex, respectively.
Press: Tribune, Hamza & Nasir storm into pre-quarters
The first world event of the 2026/27 PSA Squash Tour season is upon us, with the Copper-level PN Fleet Club Squash Open 2026 getting underway today from Karachi.
Plenty of home talent will be on display at the PN RKJK Squash Complex this week, with Pakistani rising star Noor Zaman arriving as top seed.
The 22-year-old enjoyed a fine 2025/26 season on tour, capturing his career-best title at the CAS International in Pakistan and climbing into the world’s top 30 with a string of strong finishes.
World No.29 Zaman will hope to once again deliver on home soil in a draw that includes World No.49 Karim El Hammamy, World No.56 Salman Khalil and World No.65 David Bernet as the other top four seeds.
Zaman has been named in the same half of the draw as Egypt’s No.3 seed Khalil, while Egyptian No.2 seed El Hammamy is scheduled to face Swiss No.4 seed Bernet in the semi-finals, if the event were to go to seeding.
Further back in the seedings, Egyptian trio Yassin Shohdy, Mohamed Nasser and Yassin Elshafei will all pose threats to those above them, while Pakistan’s Muhammad Asim Khan, the current World No.77, rounds out the top-eight seeded players.
The latter could face compatriot Zaman in the quarter-finals if both were to navigate their way through their opening round matches.
Away from Zaman and Asim Khan, other home interest comes in the form of Nasir Iqbal, Hamza Khan, tournament Wildcards Anas Khan and Saeed Abdul.
