Pakistani Squash Players Shine at Johns Creek Open

KARACHI: Asim Khan and Ashab Irfan, two of Pakistan’s leading squash athletes, have secured their places in the quarterfinals of the Johns Creek Open 2025, a $12,000 PSA Challenger tournament. Both players achieved impressive victories in their respective second-round matches on Thursday.

Asim Khan’s Victory

Asim, the top-seeded player, triumphed over Kareem Badawi of Egypt with a score of 11-3, 11-6, 5-11, 11-8. The match lasted 45 minutes and was filled with intense rallies.

Khan showcased his skill in the first two sets with strategic plays and well-executed shots. Although Badawi recovered and won the third set, Asim regained control in the fourth set to secure his position in the final eight.

Ashab Irfan’s Dominance

Ashab Irfan, the second seed, delivered a noteworthy performance, defeating Christopher Gordon of the United States in a swift 20 minutes with scores of 11-2, 11-4, 11-4.

Irfan’s forceful shots and rapid game overwhelmed Gordon, preventing him from establishing any momentum.

Ahsan Ayaz’s Defeat

However, Ahsan Ayaz, the seventh seed, saw his journey end in a thrilling five-set match against Egypt’s Omar ElKattan. Ayaz won the first set 11-4 but narrowly lost the subsequent two sets 12-10 and 11-9.

Despite tying the match by winning the fourth set 11-8, ElKattan maintained composure to win the final set 11-8, concluding the 58-minute showdown.

Muhammad Huzaifa Ibrahim’s Exit

Muhammad Huzaifa Ibrahim from Pakistan also exited the competition in the round of 16, losing to Brazil’s third seed Diego Gobbi with scores of 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-6 in a 47-minute match.

Huzaifa began strongly, winning the first set, but was unable to sustain his performance against Gobbi’s speed and consistency.