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20/03/2016
British Open News

BRITISH OPEN 2016

British Open: A History         
click here for Squash Player's British Open 2016 coverage

#PSAWorldTour

The 2016 Allam British Open sees the prestigious ‘Wimbledon of Squash’ take place at the Airco Arena, Hull between Monday March 21 – Sunday March 27 in what is the first time the World Series tournament has been held over the Easter weekend since 1996.

The oldest and most established tournament on the PSA World Tour calendar, the British Open’s first designated Men’s winner was Englishman Charles Read in 1929, who was appointed champion based on previous results before he lost in the first final the year after to Don Butcher in a two-legged affair at the Queen’s Club and the Conservative Club, both in London.

This was back when the British Open was held under a challenge format where the title holder would be challenged by another player who would be either the professional or amateur squash champion.

A Women’s amateur event began in 1922 with a ‘round-robin’ format and saw Joyce Cave take the inaugural crown with a victory over sister Nancy Cave in the final.

The tournament went through an eight-year hiatus after the outbreak of World War II and it adopted the more familiar ‘knockout’ format which modern fans are familiar with in 1948.

The Men’s British Open trophy has been lifted by a number of the sport’s greatest ever players with Jahangir Khan (10), Geoff Hunt (8), Hashim Khan (7), Jansher Khan (6) and the legendary Jonah Barrington (6) being the most regular winners of the event over the next 50 years.

During this period, the Women’s event was dominated by players from Australia that started with Heather McKay in 1962 with the first of 16 consecutive titles before New Zealander Susan Devoy won it in 1984.

The tournament has been nomadic throughout its history and has taken place at a number of different venues, including a 10-year stint at the Wembley Conference Centre in London, first in 1980 and then between 1984-1994. The hallowed National Squash Centre in Manchester has hosted the event on four occasions since then before sponsorship issues resulted in a two-year hiatus in 2010 and 2011.

The 02 arena was the venue for the distinguished tournament the year after that before it made its home in Hull, first at the KC Stadium and now at the Airco Arena where it will be held for the third successive year.

World No.1 Mohamed Elshorbagy is the Men’s defending champion after claiming his first British Open title last year, defeating 2014 winner Gregory Gaultier in a brutal final to emulate his coach, the aforementioned Barrington. Meanwhile, Camille Serme made history in the Women’s event after her victory over current World No.1 Laura Massaro saw her become the first Frenchwoman ever to lift the coveted title.

click here for Squash Player's British Open 2016 coverage

Previous Winners – Men
2015 Mohamed Elshorbagy (EGY)
2014 Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
2013 Ramy Ashour (EGY)
2012 Nick Matthew (ENG)
2011 No competition
2010 No competition
2009 Nick Matthew (ENG)
2008 David Palmer (AUS)
2007 Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
2006 Nick Matthew (ENG)
2005 Anthony Ricketts (AUS)
2004 David Palmer (AUS)
2003 David Palmer (AUS)
2002 Peter Nicol (ENG)
2001 David Palmer (AUS)
2000 David Evans (WAL)
1999 Jonathon Power (CAN)
1998 Peter Nicol (SCO)
1997 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1996 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1995 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1994 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1993 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1992 Jansher Khan (PAK)
1991 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1990 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1989 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1988 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1987 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1986 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1985 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1984 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1983 Jahangir Khan (PAK)

1982 Jahangir Khan (PAK)
1981 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1980 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1979 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1978 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1977 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1976 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1975 Qamar Zaman (PAK)
1974 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1973 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1972 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1971 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1970 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1969 Geoff Hunt (AUS)
1968 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1967 Jonah Barrington (IRL)
1966 Abdelfattah AbouTaleb (EGY)
1965 Abdelfattah AbouTaleb (EGY)
1964 Abdelfattah AbouTaleb (EGY)
1963 Mo Khan (PAK)
1962 Azam Khan (PAK)
1961 Azam Khan (PAK)
1960 Azam Khan (PAK)
1959 Azam Khan (PAK)
1958 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1957 Roshan Khan (PAK)
1956 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1955 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1954 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1953 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1952 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1951 Hashim Khan (PAK)
1950 Mahmoud Karim (EGY)
1949 Mahmoud Karim (EGY)
1948 Mahmoud Karim (EGY)
1947 Mahmoud Karim (EGY)
1946 No competition
1945 No competition
1944 No competition
1943 No competition
1942 No competition
1941 No competition
1940 No competition
1939 No competition
1938 Jim Dear (ENG)
1937 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1936 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1935 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1934 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1933 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1932 Abdelfattah Amr (EGY)
1931 Don Butcher (ENG)
1930 Don Butcher (ENG)
1929 Charles Read (ENG)

Previous Winners – Women
2015 Camille Serme (FRA)
2014 Nicol David (MAS)
2013 Laura Massaro (ENG)
2012 Nicol David (MAS)
2011 No competition
2010 No competition
2009 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
2008 Nicol David (MAS)
2007 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
2006 Nicol David (MAS)
2005 Nicol David (MAS)
2004 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
2003 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
2002 Sarah-Fitz Gerald (AUS)
2001 Sarah-Fitz Gerald (AUS)
2000 Leilani Joyce (NZL)
1999 Leilani Joyce (NZL)
1998 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1997 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1996 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1995 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1994 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1993 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1992 Susan Devoy (NZL)

1991 Lisa Opie (ENG)
1990 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1989 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1988 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1987 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1986 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1985 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1984 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1983 Vicki Cardwell (AUS)
1982 Vicki Cardwell (AUS)
1981 Vicki Hoffman (AUS)
1980 Vicki Hoffman (AUS)
1979 Barbara Wall (AUS)
1978 Sue Newman (AUS)
1977 Heather McKay (AUS)
1976 Heather McKay (AUS)
1975 Heather McKay (AUS)
1974 Heather McKay (AUS)
1973 Heather McKay (AUS)
1972 Heather McKay (AUS)
1971 Heather McKay (AUS)
1970 Heather McKay (AUS)
1969 Heather McKay (AUS)
1968 Heather McKay (AUS)
1967 Heather McKay (AUS)
1966 Heather McKay (AUS)
1965 Heather Blundell (AUS)
1964 Heather Blundell (AUS)
1963 Heather Blundell (AUS)
1962 Heather Blundell (AUS)
1961 Fran Marshall (ENG)
1960 Sheila Macintosh (ENG)
1959 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1958 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1957 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1956 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1955 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1954 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1953 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1952 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1951 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1950 Janet Morgan (ENG)
1949 Joan Curry (ENG)
1948 Joan Curry (ENG)
1947 Joan Curry (ENG)
1946 No competition
1945 No competition
1944 No competition
1943 No competition
1942 No competition
1941 No competition
1940 No competition
1939 Margot Lumb (ENG)
1938 Margot Lumb (ENG)
1937 Margot Lumb (ENG)
1936 Margot Lumb (ENG)
1935 Margot Lumb (ENG)
1934 Susan Noel (ENG)
1933 Susan Noel (ENG)
1932 Susan Noel (ENG)
1931 Cecily Fenwick (ENG)
1930 Nancy Cave (ENG)
1929 Nancy Cave (ENG)
1928 Joyce Cave (ENG)
1927 Cecily Fenwick (ENG)
1926 Cecily Fenwick (ENG)
1925 Joyce Cave (ENG)
1924 Nancy Cave (ENG)
1923 Silvia Huntsman (ENG)
1922 Joyce Cave (ENG)