Pakistan’s World Junior squash champion, Hamza Khan, secured a remarkable victory in the 2nd round of the London Open by defeating former world number one, James Willstrop, 3-1, earning his spot in the quarter-finals.
Willstrop, a notable figure in squash, had held the top ranking in 2012 and boasts a height of 6 feet 5 inches, unusual for a squash player, with an impressive record of 46 tour finals throughout his career.
Hailing from Nawa Killi village in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan, Hamza Khan comes from a family with a rich history in squash. His relative Shahid Zaman reached the world number 14th position during his playing days, and ex-World Champion Qamar Zaman is also a close relative.
Despite facing the odds, Khan recently clinched the World Junior Squash Championship in Melbourne, Australia, defeating Egypt’s Mohamed Zakaria 3-1 in the finals. Remarkably, he achieved this feat without a trainer or coach, showcasing his individual prowess in the sport.
This victory marked the end of a 37-year-long wait for Pakistan, as Jansher Khan was the last World Junior Champion in 1986. Hamza Khan’s success not only signifies personal triumph but also brings renewed hope and recognition to Pakistan’s squash prowess on the international stage.
