Nasir begins Venus ABC Open title quest

KARACHI:

Pakistan’s experienced squash player Nasir Iqbal will begin his title quest against Canada’s Salah Eltorgman in the men’s singles preliminary round of the Venus ABC Open 2026, which begins at the DHA Creek Club on Wednesday (today).

The event is being held under the auspices of the Sindh Squash Association (SSA).

The 11th-seeded Nasir, who was part of Pakistan’s silver-medal-winning campaign at the recent Asian Games, is expected to make a strong start in the tournament, which features 24 men, including seven players from Pakistan.

Experienced campaigner Asim Khan is also among the participants. He has received a bye in the first round and will advance directly to the pre-quarter-finals on Thursday.

Meanwhile, wild-card entrant Azan Ali Khan will face Egypt’s Ziad Ibrahim, while Anas Shah will take on Malaysia’s Yee Xian Siow in the preliminary round on Wednesday.

Another wild-card entrant, Abdullah Nawaz, will meet Malaysia’s Ameeshenraj Chandaran.

Top seed Curtis Malik of England has also received a bye in the first round.

The 24-player men’s draw features seven players from Pakistan, four each from Egypt and Malaysia, and two each from England and Hong Kong. Japan, Bahrain, Canada, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands are each represented by one player.

The women’s event will also feature 24 players, with Sana Bahadar, Anam Aziz and Rushna Mahboob representing Pakistan.

Egypt has six players in the women’s draw, while Pakistan and Germany have three each. Switzerland, Hong Kong, Japan, the Czech Republic, England, Singapore and the Netherlands are each represented by one player.

Event director and SSA president Adnan Asad said the tournament’s primary objective was to provide players with opportunities to gain international exposure.

“Our key focus is to provide a platform for players to gain exposure,” Adnan told a news conference at the DHA Creek Club.

Speaking alongside squash legend Jahangir Khan, Adnan said Pakistan’s top player, Noor Zaman, would not participate because he was competing in a tournament in Canada.

Jahangir said the aim was to help revive squash in Pakistan and restore the sport’s prominence.

“We want to help revive squash. We have established academies so that players can receive proper training,” Jahangir said.

He added that he had also proposed to the prime minister that departmental teams be revived.

“Most of our players come from humble backgrounds. If the departmental system is restored, it will help them secure jobs and focus on their game,” he said.

According to the tournament’s information sheet, the organisers have announced a total prize package of $41,000, comprising $30,000 in on-site prize money, along with accommodation and court bonuses.

The player prize pool amounts to $28,500, with the winner set to receive $5,415 and the runner-up $3,420.

Players finishing third and fourth will each earn $2,137.50, while those placed fifth to eighth will receive $1,282.50 each. Players finishing ninth to 16th will collect $783.75 each, while those placed 17th to 24th will receive $498.75 each.

The prize structure also includes a 5 per cent player contribution of $1,500, bringing the on-site prize fund to $30,000. An additional $6,000 has been allocated for accommodation bonuses and $5,000 for court bonuses, taking the total package to $41,000.

The tournament will continue until October 25. First-round matches are scheduled for October 21, followed by the second round on October 22, the quarter-finals on October 23, the semi-finals on October 24, and the finals and closing ceremony on October 25.