The British Open Squash Championships is the oldest 'open' tournament in the game of squash (open to both professional and amateur players). It is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious tournaments in the game, alongside the World Squash Championships.

Until the establishment of the World Squash Championships (which was originally called the World Open) in 1976, the British Open was considered to be the de facto world championship of the sport.

The British Open Squash Championships are often referred to as the "Wimbledon of Squash". The British Amateur Squash Championships, which was open to amateurs only, ran alongside the British Open unti it was discontinued after the 1979 edition.

History 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.British Open Results englandsquashandracketball.com 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,British Open to return to London as England Squash looks to retain tradition telegraph.co.uk 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.British Open to return to London telegraph.co.uk

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.

Long term deals were agreed, but subsequently terminated early casting doubts over the staging of the event. A seven-year deal to play at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham from 2000 was terminated after two. Fablon Investments cash injection over eight years was pulled in 2002 after less than two years. Promoters John Beddington and John Nimmick moved the Open to Nottingham but they ended their involvement in 2005, again after two years.

Shorter term agreements also began falling through, the Royal Horticultural Halls in London was announced as the venue for the 2005 British Open, but that agreement ended up scrapped with Manchester stepping in to host. Dunlop pulled out of their sponsorship in 2008, but the competition staggered on. The 2010 event was postponed as organisers tried to get the event moved back to London, but by the time the £200,000 headline sponsor withdrew their support the 2011 competition was also cancelled.

In May 2012, the competition returned with England Squash holding the British Open at The O2 with a new sponsor securedBritish Open Back for 2012

Men's championship Year Champion Runner-up Score 1929 Charles Read Appointed champion 1930 Don Butcher Charles Read 9–6, 9–5, 9–5 and 9–3, 9–5, 9–3 1931 Don Butcher Charles Arnold 9–0, 9–0, 9–0 and 9–3, 9–0, 9–5 1932 F.D. Amr Bey Don Butcher 9–0, 9–7, 9–1 and 5–9, 5–9, 9–2, 9–1, 9–0 1933 F.D. Amr Bey No challenger entered 1934 F.D. Amr Bey Don Butcher 9–4, 8–10, 10–8, 9–0 and 9–6, 6–9, 9–2, 0–9, 9–5 1935 F.D. Amr Bey Jim Dear 9–3, 6–9, 8–10, 9–2, 9–4 and 9–4, 9–7, 3–9, 9–7 1936 F.D. Amr Bey Jim Dear 9–7, 7–9, 9–7, 5–9, 9–6 and 9–7, 8–10, 9–1, 9–6 1937 F.D. Amr Bey Jim Dear 10–8, 10–8, 4–9, 1–9, 9–4 and 9–7, 8–10, 9–6, 9–5 1938 Jim Dear Bert Biddle 5–9, 9–6, 5–9, 9–6, 9–5 and 6–9, 9–1, 9–2, 9–6 1939 No competition (World War II) 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 Mahmoud Karim Jim Dear 9–4, 9–1, 9–3 and 5–9, 7–9, 9–8, 9–7, 9–4 1948 Mahmoud Karim Jim Dear 9–5, 9–3, 5–9, 1–9, 10–8 1949 Mahmoud Karim Brian Phillips 9–4, 9–2, 9–10, 9–4 1950 Mahmoud Karim Abdul Bari 9–4, 9–2, 9–7 1951 Hashim Khan Mahmoud Karim 9–5, 9–0, 9–0 1952 Hashim Khan Mahmoud Karim 9–5, 9–7, 9–0 1953 Hashim Khan Roy Wilson 9–2, 8–10, 9–1, 9–0 1954 Hashim Khan Azam Khan 6–9, 9–6, 9–6, 7–9, 9–5 1955 Hashim Khan Azam Khan 9–7, 7–9, 9–7, 5–9, 9–7 1956 Hashim Khan Roshan Khan 9–4, 9–2, 5–9, 9–5 1957 Roshan Khan Hashim Khan 6–9, 9–5, 9–2, 9–1 1958 Hashim Khan Azam Khan 9–7, 6–9, 9–6, 9–7 1959 Azam Khan Mo Khan 9–5, 9–0, 9–1 1960 Azam Khan Roshan Khan 9–1, 9–0, 9–0 1961 Azam Khan Mo Khan 6–9, 9–1, 9–4, 0–9, 9–2 1962 Azam Khan Mo Khan 9–6, 7–9, 10–8, 2–9, 9–4 1963 Mo Khan A.A. AbouTaleb 9–4, 5–9, 3–9, 10–8, 9–6 1964 A.A. AbouTaleb Mike Oddy 9–3, 9–7, 9–0 1965 A.A. AbouTaleb Ibrahim Amin 9–0, 0–9, 9–1, 9–6 1966 A.A. AbouTaleb Aftab Jawaid 9–6, 5–9, 9–3, 9–1 1967 Jonah Barrington Aftab Jawaid 9–2, 5–9, 9–2, 9–2 1968 Jonah Barrington A.A. AbouTaleb 9–6, 9–0, 9–5 1969 Geoff Hunt Cam Nancarrow 9–5, 9–4, 9–0 1970 Jonah Barrington Geoff Hunt 9–7, 3–9, 9–4, 9–4 1971 Jonah Barrington Aftab Jawaid 9–1, 9–2, 9–6 1972 Jonah Barrington Geoff Hunt 0–9, 9–7, 10–8, 6–9, 9–7 1973 Jonah Barrington Gogi Alauddin 9–4, 9–3, 9–2 1974 Geoff Hunt Mo Yasin Walkover 1975 Qamar Zaman Gogi Alauddin 9–7, 9–6, 9–1 1976 Geoff Hunt Mohibullah Khan 7–9, 9–4, 8–10, 9–2, 9–2 1977 Geoff Hunt Cam Nancarrow 9–4, 9–4, 8–10, 9–4 1978 Geoff Hunt Qamar Zaman 7–9, 9–1, 9–1, 9–2 1979 Geoff Hunt Qamar Zaman 2–9, 9–7, 9–0, 6–9, 9–3 1980 Geoff Hunt Qamar Zaman 9–3, 9–2, 1–9, 9–1 1981 Geoff Hunt Jahangir Khan 9–2, 9–7, 5–9, 9–7 1982 Jahangir Khan Hiddy Jahan 9–2, 10–9, 9–3 1983 Jahangir Khan Gamal Awad 9–2, 9–5, 9–1 1984 Jahangir Khan Qamar Zaman 9–0, 9–3, 9–5 1985 Jahangir Khan Chris Dittmar 9–3, 9–2, 9–5 1986 Jahangir Khan Ross Norman 9–6, 9–4, 9–6 1987 Jahangir Khan Jansher Khan 9–6, 9–0, 9–5 1988 Jahangir Khan Rodney Martin 9–2, 9–10, 9–0, 9–1 1989 Jahangir Khan Rodney Martin 9–2, 3–9, 9–5, 0–9, 9–2 1990 Jahangir Khan Rodney Martin 9–6, 10–8, 9–1 1991 Jahangir Khan Jansher Khan 2–9, 9–4, 9–4, 9–0 1992 Jansher Khan Chris Robertson 9–7, 10–9, 9–5 1993 Jansher Khan Chris Dittmar 9–6, 9–5, 6–9, 9–2 1994 Jansher Khan Brett Martin 9–1, 9–0, 9–10, 9–1 1995 Jansher Khan Peter Marshall 15–4, 15–4, 15–5 1996 Jansher Khan Rodney Eyles 15–13, 15–8, 15–10 1997 Jansher Khan Peter Nicol 17–15, 9–15, 15–12, 8–15, 15–8 1998 Peter Nicol Jansher Khan 17–16, 15–4, 15–5 1999 Jonathon Power Peter Nicol 15–17, 15–12, rtd 2000 David Evans Paul Price 15–11, 15–6, 15–10 2001 David Palmer Chris Walker 12–15, 13–15, 15–2, 15–9, 15–5 2002 Peter Nicol John White 15–9, 15–8, 15–8 2003 David Palmer Peter Nicol 15–13, 15–13, 15–8 2004 David Palmer Amr Shabana 10–11 (4–6), 11–7, 11–10 (3–1), 11–7 2005 Anthony Ricketts James Willstrop 11–7, 11–9, 11–7 2006 Nick Matthew Thierry Lincou 11–8, 5–11, 11–4, 9–11, 11–6 2007 Grégory Gaultier Thierry Lincou 11–4, 10–11 (0–2), 11–6, 11–3 2008 David Palmer James Willstrop 11–9, 11–9, 8–11, 6–11, 11–10 (3–1) 2009 Nick Matthew James Willstrop 8–11, 11–8, 7–11, 11–3, 12–10 2010 No competition 2011 2012 Nick Matthew Ramy Ashour 11–9, 11–4, 11–8 2013 Ramy Ashour Grégory Gaultier 7–11, 11–4, 11–7, 11–8 2014 Grégory Gaultier Nick Matthew 11–3, 11–6, 11–2 2015 Mohamed El Shorbagy Grégory Gaultier 11–9, 6–11, 5–11, 11–8, 11–5 2016 Mohamed El Shorbagy Ramy Ashour 11–2, 11–5, 11–9 2017 Grégory Gaultier Nick Matthew 8–11, 11–7, 11–3, 11–3 2018 Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Mohamed El Shorbagy 11–7, 6–11, 8–11, 11–2, 11–9 2019 Mohamed El Shorbagy Ali Farag 11–9, 5–11, 11–5, 11–9 2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom 2021 Paul Coll Ali Farag 6–11, 11–6, 11–6, 11–8 2022 Paul Coll Ali Farag 12–10, 11–6, 11–4 2023 Ali Farag Diego Elías 13–11, 5-11, 11–8, 11–9 2024 Mostafa Asal Ali Farag 11–5, 2–11, 13–11, 4–11, 12–10 2025 Diego Elías Mostafa Asal 11-4, 11-9, 3-11, 11-4 2026

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