Pakistan’s rising squash star Noor Zaman has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Open Squash Classic in New York, marking his first-ever appearance in the last eight of a PSA Bronze event.
In a thrilling Round of 16 encounter, Noor defeated world number 20 and fifth seed Grégoire Marche of France by 3–2 after an intense 75-minute battle. The final scoreline stood at 11–5, 5–11, 11–6, 9–11, and 12–10.
Noor Zaman, who is also the reigning World Under-23 Squash Champion, showed remarkable composure and endurance throughout the match, overcoming his higher-ranked opponent in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
With this victory, Noor continues his impressive rise in the international rankings and will next face fourth seed Leonel Cárdenas of Mexico in the quarterfinals.
The Open Squash Classic, a PSA Bronze World Tour event, carries a total prize purse of 74,000 US dollars and features top-ranked players from across the globe.
Sports analysts have hailed Noor’s performance as a sign of Pakistan’s resurgence in international squash, a sport the country once dominated for decades.
