Jahangir Khan
Jahangir Khan, (born 10 December 1963, in Karachi, Pakistan) (sometimes spelled "Jehangir Khan") is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times. Between 1981 and 1986, he was unbeaten in competitive play for five years. During that time he won 555 matches consecutively. This was not only the longest winning streak in squash history, but also one of the longest unbeaten runs by any athlete in top-level professional sports. He retired as a player in 1993, and served as the President of the World Squash Federation since 2002.
Playing Career
Jahangir was coached initially by his father, Roshan Khan, the 1957 British Open champion, and then by his cousin Rehmat Khan, who guided Jahangir through most of his career. Ironically, during his earlier years, Jahangir was a sickly child and physically very weak. Though the doctors had advised him not to take part in any sort physical activity, after undergoing a couple of hernia operations his father let him play and try out their family game.
In 1979, the Pakistan selectors decided not to select Jahangir to play in the world championships in Australia, judging him too weak from a recent illness. Jahangir decided instead to enter himself in the World Amateur Individual Championship and, at the age of 15, became the youngest-ever winner of that event.
In November 1979, Jahangir's older brother Torsam Khan, who had been one of the leading international squash players in the 1970s, died suddenly of a heart attack during a tournament match in Australia. Torsam's death affected Jahangir profoundly. He considered quitting the game, but decided to pursue a career in the sport as a tribute to his brother.
Five-Year Unbeaten Run
In 1981, when he was 17, Jahangir became the youngest winner of the World Open, beating Australia's Geoff Hunt (the game's dominant player in the late-1970s) in the final. That tournament marked the start of an unbeaten run which lasted for five years and over 555 matches. The hallmark of his play was his incredible fitness and stamina, which Rehmat Khan helped him build-up through a punishing training and conditioning regime. Jahangir was quite simply the fittest player in the game, and would wear his opponents down through long rallies played at a furious pace.
In 1982, Jahangir astonished everyone by winning the International Squash Players Association Championship without losing a single point. The unbeaten run finally came to end in the final of the World Open in 1986 in Toulouse, France, when Jahangir lost to New Zealand's Ross Norman. Norman had been in pursuit of Jahangir's unbeaten streak, being beaten time and time again. "One day Jahangir will be slightly off his game and I will get him", he vowed for five years.
Speaking about his unbeaten streak, Jahangir said:
"It wasn't my plan to create such a record. All I did was put in the effort to win every match I played and it went on for weeks, months and years until my defeat to Ross Norman in Toulouse in 1986. The pressure began to mount as I kept winning every time and people were anxious to see if I could be beaten. In that World Open final, Ross got me. It was exactly five years and eight months. I was unbeaten for another nine months after that defeat."
Success in the Hardball Game
With his dominance over the international squash game in the first half of the 1980s secure, Jahangir decided to test his ability on the North American hardball squash circuit in 1983–1986. (Hardball squash is a North American variant of the game, played on smaller courts with a faster-moving ball.) Jahangir played in 13 top-level hardball tournaments during this period, winning 12 of them. He faced the leading American player on the circuit at the time, Mark Talbott, on 11 occasions (all in tournament finals), and won 10 of their encounters. With his domination of both the softball and hardball versions of the game, Jahangir truly cemented his reputation as the world's greatest squash player. His success in North America is considered by some observers to be among the factors which led to growing interest in the international "softball" version of squash in the continent, and the demise of the hardball game in the late-1980s and 1990s.
Rivalry with Jansher Khan
At the end of 1986 another Pakistani squash player, Jansher Khan, appeared on the international scene to challenge Jahangir's domination. (Jansher is not known to be directly related to Jahangir, but their families originate from the same village in the Peshawar region of northern Pakistan, so they may be distantly related.) Jahangir won their first few encounters in late-1986 and early-1987. But Jansher scored his first win over Jahangir in September 1987, beating him in straight games in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open. Jansher then went on to beat Jahangir in their next eight consecutive encounters and capture the 1987 World Open title.
Jahangir ended Jansher's winning streak in March 1988, and went on to win 11 of their next 15 encounters. The pair met in the 1988 World Open final, with Jahangir emerging the victor. But by that point it had become clear that squash now had two dominant players. The pair would continue to dominate the game for the rest of the decade. Jansher and Jahangir met a total of 37 times in tournament play. Jansher won 19 matches (74 games and 1,426 points), and Jahangir 18 matches (79 games and 1,459 points). This record doesn't include exhibition matches and league matches between them. Jahangir did not win the World Open again after 1988, but he continued a stranglehold over the British Open title which he captured a record ten successive times between 1982 and 1991.
World Open Final Appearances
British Open Final Appearances
Training Regime
In a documentary on himself telecasted on a local tv channel GEO Super, Jahangir revealed that he never had any fixed training regime particularly designed for him, nor had he any specially formulated diet - he would eat anything hygienic but never miss two glasses of milk every day. For his training, he would often start his day with a 9-mile (14 km) jog which he would complete in 60–120 minutes at a moderate pace, followed by short bursts of timed sprints. Later he would weight train in the gym finally cooling down in the pools. He would follow this routine 5 days a week. On the 6th day he would match practice and rest on the 7th day.He also said that he has experienced running on every surface - from custom-built tracks to asphalt roads, grass & farm fields to sea shores & knee-deep waters. Sometimes he would also visit the northern areas of Pakistan to train in high altitude fields under low oxygen conditions. All in all it made Jahangir one of the most physically and mentally fit athletes in the world.Awards, Services & Recognition
Jahangir retired as a player in 1993 after helping Pakistan win the World Team Championship in Karachi. The Government of Pakistan honoured Jahangir with the awards of Pride of Performance and civil award of Hilal-e-Imtiaz for his achievements in squash. They also awarded him the title of Sportsman of the Millennium.“Hashim Khan, Jahangir Khan, and Jansher Khan are the best squash players the world has ever known, with Jahangir the best of the three. If Hollywood only knew his story of tragedy, grit and determination it would make another movie like Chariots of Fire. Many of those who know him consider him the best athlete who ever lived.” — Former President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf on Jahangir's achievements.In 1990, Jahangir was elected Chairman of the Professional Squash Association, and in 1997, Vice-President of the Pakistan Squash Federation. He was elected as Vice-President of the World Squash Federation in November 1998, and in October 2002 was elected WSF President. In 2004, he was again unanimously re-elected as President of the World Squash Federation at the International Federation's 33rd Annual General Meeting in Casa Noyale, Mauritius.Jahangir is listed in Guinness Book of World Records as having the most world championship squash titles. Time Magazine has named Jahangir as one of Asia's Heroes in the last 60 years. Jahangir Khan was conferred with an honorary Doctorate of philosophy by London Metropolitan University for his contributions to the sport.Due to his immense and absolute dominance in squash he was nicknamed "The Conqueror In his book, In the Line of Fire: A Memoir the former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf states:"If Hollywood only knew his story of tragedy, grit and determination it would make another movie like Chariots of Fire. Many of those who know him consider him the best athlete who ever lived."
President World Squash Federation (WSF)Elected on 26 October 2002Voted the greatest ever male player by a poll on the WSF websiteJanuary 2002 : Sportsman of the Millennium by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)2000 : Vice President World Squash Federation (WSF)1998 : Vice President, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF)1997 : "Pride of Performance" award by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan1993 : Chairman of the Professional Squash Association (PSA)1990 : "President's Award" by General Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan 1984 : Pakistan's Civil Award "Hilal-e-Imtiaz" by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan1984 : Govt. of Pakistan honoured by putting his image on a Postage Stamp1984 : British Open Champion (World Record Holder), the most prestigious championship of the SquashRecord : 10 times from 1981World Open Champion : 6 times from 1981Pakistan Open Champion : 10 times from 1980-1993World Amateur Champion : 1979 (at the age of 15)
Personal Life
Jahangir is of Pashtun ethnicity. His family originated from a village near Peshawar named Nawakille (sometimes spelled "Noakili"). Jahangir currently lives in Karachi, with his wife, Rubina, and their two children, Omar, and Marium. Musician Natasha Khan, better known as Bat for Lashes, is Jahangir's niece.
Jansher Khan
Jansher Khan (born 15 June 1969, in Peshawar, Pakistan) is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest squash players of all time. During his career he won the World Open a record eight times, and the British Open six times. Jansher is of Pashtun ethnicity. He came from a family of outstanding squash players. His brother Mohibullah Khan was one of the world's leading professional squash players in the 1970s. Another older brother, Atlas Khan, was a highly-rated amateur competitor.Jansher won the World Junior Squash Championship title in 1986. He also turned professional that year. At the time, the men's professional tour was dominated by another Pakistani player – Jahangir Khan. (Jansher is not known to be directly related to Jahangir, but their families originate from the same village in the Peshawar region of northern Pakistan, so they may be distantly related). At the World Open in 1986, Ross Norman finally ended an unbeaten run by Jahangir in tournament play which had lasted a staggering five and a half years. But from 1987 onwards, Jahangir would no longer be able to tower over the game in the way he did during the first half of the decade, as Jansher quickly turned men's squash into a sport which now had two powerful dominant players. Jahangir won the pair's first few encounters in late-1986 and early-1987. Jansher then scored his first win over Jahangir in September 1987, beating him in straight games in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open. Jansher then went on to beat Jahangir in their next eight consecutive encounters. This included a win in the semi-finals of the 1987 World Open, following which Jansher claimed his first World Open title by beating Australia's Chris Dittmar in the final.Jansher Khan was completely different to Jahangir, who was medium height and squat, shy and serious. Jansher was tall, thin, undisciplined and humourous. When he was world number one he told some Dutch journalists he was retiring and taking up tennis. They swallowed it hook line and sinker - as did many British newspapers.
In 1986 Jansher was training hard in West London. He would line up four or five players and play them one after the other - and beat them all 3/0. If he stayed on court for three continuous hours, facing world class players, he was happy. He was determined to beat Jahangir at his own game - fitness.
The two JK's, as they became know, met for the first time in the first round of the Pakistan Open in December 1986 and Jansher took a game off Jahangir. Three months later they met in the final of the Spanish open, again Jahangir won 3/1. When Jahangir demolished Jansher 9-6, 9-0, 9-5 in the 1987 British Open in April, it appeared that Jansher was just another dreamer. Nobody could have guessed what was to happen over the coming year.
It started in the Hong Kong Open in September 1987 when Jansher beat Jahangir in the semi-final. Not just beat him, but beat him 3/0. That historic win was the start of an eight match domination over the formerly unbeatable Jahangir. In Birmingham in September Jansher beat Jahangir in the semi-final of the world open and went on to become world champion.
Jahangir suddenly had a new challenge and in March 1988 he reversed Jansher's winning streak and went on to beat Jansher 11 times in their next 15 meetings. Their match in the 1988 World Open in Amsterdam had one historic and unforgettable feature; the first rally of the first game lasted 6 minutes and 15 seconds - and ended in a let.
There was nothing fancy about the game they played, a mesmerising, metronomic repitition of a simple pattern as the ball was hit off two walls into the back corner, only to be returned in the same manner. This wasn't squash so much as two proud rutting, head-butting deer fighting for supremacy of the herd. It was squash fitness being pushed beyond intelligent boundaries. Jahangir won that match 3/0, soaked with sweat right down to the toes of his socks. Jansher, dry by comparison, was still moving silkily around the court, only his eyes sinking into his head showing the depth of exertion.
They met for the last time in the World Open in 1993 and Jansher won 3/1. In all they had faced each other 37 times in competition with Jansher winning 19 times to Jahangir's 18 victories. But on game count, Jahangir led 79 to 74 and on total points had won just 23 points more than Jansher.
Jahangir retired that year, his body no longer able to take the stresses of the game. It was a body that, for 15 years, had been subjected to a daily regimen that would have broken any marathon runner. He had won the British Open ten years in succession from 1982 -199, a record that will almost certainly stand for a very long time. If other countries thought the Pakistani domination would disappear with Jahangir, then Jansher had other ideas; he took up where Jahangir left off, dominating the rankings and winning the British Open six times in a row.
By 1997 his knees were giving him trouble and his fitness was decreasing. His opponents accused him of blocking access to the ball and constant fishing for penalty strokes. He just managed to hold off the challenge of the emerging Scot Peter Nicol in the 1997 British Open to scrape a 3/2 victory and again there were accusations of blocking unpenalised by a weak referee.
A year later in the same venue Peter Nicol and his coach Neil Harvey devised a game plan to beat Jansher: tight on the wall into the back corners and no cross courts for the lanky Jansher to volley for winners. After a long first game, won by Nicol 17-16, Jansher realised that his usual boast "I am fitter, so I win" was no longer true. He gave up and lost the next two games 15-4, 15-5.World Open Final Appearances
British Open Final Appearances
President World Squash Federation (WSF)
Elected on 26 October 2002
Voted the greatest ever male player by a poll on the WSF website
January 2002 : Sportsman of the Millennium by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA)
2000 : Vice President World Squash Federation (WSF)
1998 : Vice President, Pakistan Squash Federation (PSF)
1997 : "Pride of Performance" award by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan
1993 : Chairman of the Professional Squash Association (PSA)
1990 : "President's Award" by General Zia-ul-Haq, President of Pakistan
1984 : Pakistan's Civil Award "Hilal-e-Imtiaz" by President Ghulam Ishaq Khan
1984 : Govt. of Pakistan honoured by putting his image on a Postage Stamp
1984 : British Open Champion (World Record Holder), the most prestigious championship of the Squash
Record : 10 times from 1981
World Open Champion : 6 times from 1981
Pakistan Open Champion : 10 times from 1980-1993
World Amateur Champion : 1979 (at the age of 15)
Jansher Khan
Jansher Khan (born 15 June 1969, in Peshawar, Pakistan) is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest squash players of all time. During his career he won the World Open a record eight times, and the British Open six times. Jansher is of Pashtun ethnicity. He came from a family of outstanding squash players. His brother Mohibullah Khan was one of the world's leading professional squash players in the 1970s. Another older brother, Atlas Khan, was a highly-rated amateur competitor.
Jansher won the World Junior Squash Championship title in 1986. He also turned professional that year. At the time, the men's professional tour was dominated by another Pakistani player – Jahangir Khan. (Jansher is not known to be directly related to Jahangir, but their families originate from the same village in the Peshawar region of northern Pakistan, so they may be distantly related). At the World Open in 1986, Ross Norman finally ended an unbeaten run by Jahangir in tournament play which had lasted a staggering five and a half years. But from 1987 onwards, Jahangir would no longer be able to tower over the game in the way he did during the first half of the decade, as Jansher quickly turned men's squash into a sport which now had two powerful dominant players. Jahangir won the pair's first few encounters in late-1986 and early-1987. Jansher then scored his first win over Jahangir in September 1987, beating him in straight games in the semi-finals of the Hong Kong Open. Jansher then went on to beat Jahangir in their next eight consecutive encounters. This included a win in the semi-finals of the 1987 World Open, following which Jansher claimed his first World Open title by beating Australia's Chris Dittmar in the final.
Jansher Khan was completely different to Jahangir, who was medium height and squat, shy and serious. Jansher was tall, thin, undisciplined and humourous. When he was world number one he told some Dutch journalists he was retiring and taking up tennis. They swallowed it hook line and sinker - as did many British newspapers.
In 1986 Jansher was training hard in West London. He would line up four or five players and play them one after the other - and beat them all 3/0. If he stayed on court for three continuous hours, facing world class players, he was happy. He was determined to beat Jahangir at his own game - fitness.
The two JK's, as they became know, met for the first time in the first round of the Pakistan Open in December 1986 and Jansher took a game off Jahangir. Three months later they met in the final of the Spanish open, again Jahangir won 3/1. When Jahangir demolished Jansher 9-6, 9-0, 9-5 in the 1987 British Open in April, it appeared that Jansher was just another dreamer. Nobody could have guessed what was to happen over the coming year.
It started in the Hong Kong Open in September 1987 when Jansher beat Jahangir in the semi-final. Not just beat him, but beat him 3/0. That historic win was the start of an eight match domination over the formerly unbeatable Jahangir. In Birmingham in September Jansher beat Jahangir in the semi-final of the world open and went on to become world champion.
Jahangir suddenly had a new challenge and in March 1988 he reversed Jansher's winning streak and went on to beat Jansher 11 times in their next 15 meetings. Their match in the 1988 World Open in Amsterdam had one historic and unforgettable feature; the first rally of the first game lasted 6 minutes and 15 seconds - and ended in a let.
There was nothing fancy about the game they played, a mesmerising, metronomic repitition of a simple pattern as the ball was hit off two walls into the back corner, only to be returned in the same manner. This wasn't squash so much as two proud rutting, head-butting deer fighting for supremacy of the herd. It was squash fitness being pushed beyond intelligent boundaries. Jahangir won that match 3/0, soaked with sweat right down to the toes of his socks. Jansher, dry by comparison, was still moving silkily around the court, only his eyes sinking into his head showing the depth of exertion.
They met for the last time in the World Open in 1993 and Jansher won 3/1. In all they had faced each other 37 times in competition with Jansher winning 19 times to Jahangir's 18 victories. But on game count, Jahangir led 79 to 74 and on total points had won just 23 points more than Jansher.
Jahangir retired that year, his body no longer able to take the stresses of the game. It was a body that, for 15 years, had been subjected to a daily regimen that would have broken any marathon runner. He had won the British Open ten years in succession from 1982 -199, a record that will almost certainly stand for a very long time. If other countries thought the Pakistani domination would disappear with Jahangir, then Jansher had other ideas; he took up where Jahangir left off, dominating the rankings and winning the British Open six times in a row.
By 1997 his knees were giving him trouble and his fitness was decreasing. His opponents accused him of blocking access to the ball and constant fishing for penalty strokes. He just managed to hold off the challenge of the emerging Scot Peter Nicol in the 1997 British Open to scrape a 3/2 victory and again there were accusations of blocking unpenalised by a weak referee.
A year later in the same venue Peter Nicol and his coach Neil Harvey devised a game plan to beat Jansher: tight on the wall into the back corners and no cross courts for the lanky Jansher to volley for winners. After a long first game, won by Nicol 17-16, Jansher realised that his usual boast "I am fitter, so I win" was no longer true. He gave up and lost the next two games 15-4, 15-5.
World Open Final Appearances
British Open Final Appearances
