Hania El Hammamy (EGY, WRL 3) and Paul Coll (NZL, WRL 3, pic) compete in April 2023 to her British Open title To defend. After nine years, the venue is now changing from the idyllic Hull back to Birmingham, the second largest English metropolis after London, where the tournament was held in 1998, 2000 and 2001.
And Birmingham seems to be a good place for winners from Down Under, with Michelle Martin (AUS, 1998), Leilani Joyce (NZL, 2000), Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS, 2001) and David Palmer (AUS, 2001) four of the six titles are taken to countries below the equator.
Anyone who thinks that the remaining two men’s victories in Birmingham went to the usual suspects from England, Egypt or Pakistan is wrong – it was Peter Nicol, who was “still Scotsman” in 1998, and the Welshman David Evans (2000) who picked up the coveted trophy.
With a total of ten wins in a row (1982-1991), squash legend Jahangir Khan (PAK) sets the standards. Only Australian Heather McKay can top that with eleven consecutive victories (1966-1977).
Suffice it to say that Ali Farag (EGY), who has been number one for 33 months in the last four years and second in the world for the rest, continues to lag behind his success at the British Open. He made it to the final three times, but was beaten by Mohamed El Shorbagy (EGY, WRL 4) in 2019 and by Paul Coll in 2021 and 2022.
In 2020, the British Open, like many other events, fell victim to the corona pandemic.
British Open 2023 Tickets are available immediately.