Will Salter Reaches 2026 Mozart Open Final

UNSQUASHABLE player Will Salter delivered an impressive run to the final of the 2026 Mozart Squash Open, producing a series of strong performances at the Messezentrum Salzburg in Salzburg before narrowly missing out on the title to fellow Englishman Heston Malik.

Entering the tournament as the No.6 seed, Will began his campaign with a dominant first-round victory over German wildcard Fabian Igelbrink. The Englishman controlled the match from the outset, combining tight length with confident attacking play to secure a comfortable 11-4 11-4 11-5 win in just 24 minutes. His accuracy and tempo left Igelbrink struggling to find rhythm, allowing Will to advance with minimal time spent on court.

The quarter-finals presented a sterner challenge against second seed Jakub Solnicky. Solnicky edged the opening game 11-6 as he looked to assert early control, but Will responded strongly in the second, edging a tense tie-break 12-10 to level the match. That breakthrough shifted momentum decisively in the Englishman’s favour. Will raced through the third game 11-1 with aggressive, attacking squash before the Czech was forced to retire from the contest, sending Will into the semi-finals.

Awaiting him in the last four was home favourite Aqeel Rehman, the tournament’s third seed. In front of a partisan Austrian crowd, Will made a confident start, taking the first two games 11-5 11-7 with disciplined length and effective control of the middle of the court. Rehman fought back to level the match, claiming the third and fourth games in tight exchanges to push the contest to a decider. Under pressure, however, Will responded with composure, reasserting control of the rallies and closing out the fifth game 11-5 to book his place in the final after a hard-fought 76-minute encounter.

In the championship match, Will faced compatriot Heston Malik, who ultimately proved the stronger in a hard-fought final. Malik edged a competitive opening game 11-8 before Will responded well to take the second 11-6 and draw level. As the match progressed, however, Malik gradually imposed his authority, increasing the pace of play and applying consistent pressure to move ahead once more - securing the third game 11-6. Malik maintained control in the fourth, closing out the match 11-5 to claim the title after 55 minutes.

Despite the disappointment of falling just short in the final, Will’s performances throughout the week in Salzburg highlighted his consistency and resilience on the Professional Squash Association World Squash Tour. Victories over higher-seeded opponents and a determined semi-final display under pressure demonstrated the quality of the UNSQUASHABLE player, who continues to build momentum with strong results on the international stage.

2026 Mozart Squash Open, Messezentrum Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
Final:
Heston Malik (ENG) bt [6] Will Salter (ENG) 11-8, 6-11, 11-6, 11-5 (55m)

Semi-Finals:
Heston Malik (ENG) bt [4] Conor Moran (IRL) 11-9, 6-11, 11-7, 11-4 (45m)
[6] Will Salter (ENG) bt [3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) 11-5, 11-7, 10-12, 9-11, 11-5 (76m)

Quarter-Finals:
Heston Malik (ENG) bt [7] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) 8-11, 14-12, 12-10, 11-6 (59m)
[4] Conor Moran (IRL) bt [8] Noah Meredith (ENG) 11-5, 11-13, 13-11, 11-7 (49m)
[3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt [5] Bailey Malik (ENG) 11-9, 6-11, 11-2, 12-14, 12-10 (59m)
[6] Will Salter (ENG) bt [2] Jakub Solnicky (CZE) 6-11, 12-10, 11-1 ret. (34m)

1st Round:
Heston Malik (ENG) bt [1] Rowan Damming (NED) 11-7, 7-11, 11-6, 12-10 (76m)
[7] Lwamba Chileshe (NZL) bt Joeri Hapers (BEL) 11-3, 11-8, 11-7 (32m)
[8] Noah Meredith (ENG) bt Mattéo Carrouget (FRA) 8-11, 12-10, 14-12, 12-10 (53m)
[4] Conor Moran (IRL) bt Ayaan Vaziralli (IND) 9-11, 11-3, 11-5, 11-5 (44m)
[3] Aqeel Rehman (AUT) bt Rob Thirst (ENG) 8-11, 11-4, 11-4, 11-9 (47m)
[5] Bailey Malik (ENG) bt Martin Štěpán (CZE) 12-10, 11-8, 11-5 (33m)
[6] Will Salter (ENG) bt [WC] Fabian Igelbrink (GER) 11-4, 11-4, 11-5 (24m)
[2] Jakub Solnicky (CZE) bt Marek Panacek (CZE) 8-11, 11-8, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9 (84m)