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Pakistan’s Noor Zaman stunned defending champion and world No. 4 Karim Abdel Gawad of Egypt 3-1 on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the PSA Gold Silicon Valley Open at the Redwood City in California. The 22-year-old overcame the second seed 11-9, 11-7, 9-11, 11-6 in 52 minutes at Squash Zone, handing the Egyptian a shock defeat in the $143,500 men’s event. “I was ready mentally and physically today, and I think now is the time for me to beat the top players,” Noor said after the match. Noor, ranked among the world’s top 35 players, had earlier booked his place in the last 16 with a 3-1 victory over American wildcard Bransten Ming. After losing the opening game 3-11, he fought back to win 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 in 41 minutes. The Peshawar-born player, grandson of former world champion Qamar Zaman and the 2025 U-23 world champion, has enjoyed a strong run of form in recent months, climbing into the world’s top 30 and collecting five PSA titles. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Mohammad Ashab Irfan bowed out in the last 16 after losing 3-0 to fifth seed Mohamed ElShorbagy of Egypt. Irfan had reached the round with a straight-games victory over Hungary’s Balazs Farkas, winning 11-6, 11-4, 11-5. The PSA World Tour Gold event offers equal prize money for men and women as squash prepares for its Olympic debut at Los Angeles 2028.
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