British Open Squash Championships

While there had been a professional men's championship for some years, the 'open' men's championship (for both professionals and amateurs) was not inaugurated until 1930. Charles Read, British professional champion for many years, was designated the first open title holder. Would-be challengers were required to demonstrate they were capable of mounting a competent challenge, as well as guaranteeing a minimum 'purse' (prize money) of £100 (which comprised gate-takings and players' 'subscriptions'). Read subsequently played the first final as the 'defending champion' against challenger Don Butcher in December 1930, but lost in home and away legs. The men's Championship maintained this 'challenge' system format until 1947, replacing it with the current 'knockout' system in 1948. The women's championships commenced in 1922 as an amateur event, and remained so until 1974. In the inaugural event, Joyce Cave defeated her sister Nancy Cave in the final. Both Championships have been played continuously since inception, with the exception of the men's championship in 1934 (when no challenger to F. D. Amr Bey entered), and both championships during World War II, and in 2010 and 2011 due to lack of sponsorship. The men's and women's events were originally held separately, but have been held as a joint event since 1983. The most successful players in the history of the championships are Australian Heather McKay (née Blundell), who won the women's event 16 consecutive times from 1962 to 1977, and Pakistani Jahangir Khan, who won the men's title 10 consecutive times from 1982 to 1991. == Venues ==

The event has been held at various venues since the challenge system ended in 1947. • 1948–1960: Lansdowne Club, London • 1961–1962: Royal Automobile Club, London • 1963–1968: Lansdowne Club and Royal Aero Club, London • 1969, 1970–1974: Abbeydale Park, Sheffield • 1970–1971: Edgbaston Priory, Birmingham • 1975–1980+ Wembley Squash Centre, London • 1980+, 1984–1994: Wembley Conference Centre • 1981–1982: Churchill Theatre, Bromley • 1983: Assembly Rooms, Derby • 1984–1994: Wembley Conference Centre, London • 1995–1996: Cardiff International Arena, Wales • 1997: Wales National Ice Rink, Cardiff, Wales • 1998, 2000, 2001: National Indoor Arena, Birmingham • 1999: Aberdeen Squash Rackets Club and Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, Aberdeen, Scotland • 2002, 2005, 2007, 2009: National Squash Centre, Manchester • 2003–2004: Albert Hall, Nottingham • 2006: University of Nottingham, Nottingham • 2008: Echo Arena, Liverpool • 2012: The O2, London • 2013: KC Stadium, Hull • 2014–2022: Airco Arena, Hull • 2023–present: Edgbaston Priory Club and Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Birmingham + later rounds held at Conference Centre == Decline ==

After being staged at the Wembley Conference Centre for 10 years until 1994 with some capacity crowds, the event began to move around Britain with eight different venues over the next 17 years – only twice staying in the same venue for consecutive years. The competition suffered much uncertainty as it continued to move around the country. In 1999, the event was nearly dropped due to lack of sponsorship, but was saved by a last-minute deal. Promoter Alan Thatcher took the event to Aberdeen in conjunction with the newly-formed Eye Group. A crowd of 1,600 witnessed an astonishing final at Aberdeen Exhibition Centre, where local hero Peter Nicol collapsed at courtside with the score one game all against his great rival Jonathon Power and was rushed to hospital suffering from food poisoning. A deal with Sky Sports was signed in 2000 to cover the event saw record prize money of £110,000 but by the following year it had moved again to Birmingham's National Indoor Arena. == Men's championship ==

Note: 1) From 1931 to 1947, the men's championship was decided by a best-of-three-matches contest between the defending champion and a single challenger (the third match was never required, as the ultimate champion won the first two matches on each of the occasions in which the final was played with this format). The championship has been played using a 'knockout' format since 1948. 2) Peter Nicol changed his nationality in 2001. By number of victories By country == Women's championship ==

By number of victories By country == Records ==