Ashab Irfan clinches maiden PSA World Tour title in Vancouver

VANCOUVER: Pakistan’s Ashab Irfan clinched his first-ever PSA World Tour title after an impressive 3-0 victory over England’s Sam Todd in the final of the Richardson Wealth Men’s Vancouver Open 2025 on Sunday.

The 21-year-old, seeded fourth in the tournament, displayed remarkable control and determination throughout the 43-minute contest, defeating the sixth seed Todd with game scores of 11-9, 11-1, and 11-5.

The Richardson Wealth Men’s Open 2025, a PSA World Tour Copper event, carried a total prize purse of $31,250.

Ashab’s triumph marks a major career milestone, cementing his place among Pakistan’s rising squash stars. Alongside compatriot Noor Zaman, the youngster continues to make significant strides on the professional circuit.

Earlier, Ashab reached his maiden PSA final after a stunning semifinal win over England’s second seed Adrian Waller. 

In a thrilling 68-minute battle, the Pakistani fought back twice to claim victory 3-2 with game scores of 8-11, 11-8, 3-11, 11-5, 11-8.

Meanwhile, fellow Pakistani Noor Zaman, seeded third, made it to the quarterfinals but fell to Todd in a hard-fought five-game match, losing 2-3.

Both Ashab and Noor had advanced to the quarterfinal stage after strong performances in the Round of 16.

Noor defeated Wales’ Owain Taylor 3-1 in 53 minutes, showcasing composure and consistency with 11-9, 11-9 wins in the first two games.

Ashab, on the other hand, prevailed in a gripping five-set encounter against Hong Kong’s Matthew Lai, winning 3-2 after 71 minutes of high-quality play.

The Pakistani took the opening game 11-4, dropped the next, regained control in the third (11-7), and held his nerve in the deciding set to secure victory.