British National Squash Championships Explained

The British National Squash Championships are the national squash championships for players from the United Kingdom & Ireland.^{[1] [2]} They are held on an annual basis, with the venue changing for each year.^[3]

The Championships were inaugurated in 1974 are not to be confused with the British Open Squash Championships which is open to all nationalities and is the oldest squash tournament. The championships also involve masters events for British squash players in different age groups. The categories for men are:- Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50, Over 55, Over 60, Over 65, Over 70 and Over 75. The categories for women are:- Over 35, Over 40, Over 45, Over 50 and Over 55.

History

The first championships were held for men in 1974, with the women's tournament added the following year. Initially held in December of each year, the championships were moved to January/February in 1991.

Many leading male players boycotted the 1993 tournament in protest over a range of issues, including the amount of prize money on offer and the Squash Rackets Association's selection criteria for the England team.^{[4] [5]}

In 2004, Cassie Campion (during her final competitive year) surpassed Sue Cogswell's record by winning her sixth title. This remains as the women's record today. The men's Over 70 event was added in 2005 and the men's Over 75 event was added in 2011.

The 2012 men's final was contested between the reigning World Champion and World No.1,^[6] Nick Matthew, and the reigning World No.2, James Willstrop. Matthew won 3–1 to claim his fourth British National title and equal the record set by Phil Kenyon. During the year that Matthew retired (2018) he extended the record to ten titles.

Venues

The championships were held at the National Squash Centre at Sportscity in Manchester from 2003 to 2018.^[7]

The women's tournament began in 1975 and was initially hosted at Edgbaston Priory Club in Birmingham, before moving on to Dallington, Northamptonshire (1976–77), Carriages in Hellingly, East Sussex (1978), Chichester, West Sussex (1979) and Wembley Squash Centre (1980–82). From 1983 the women's and men's championships were held in the same location.^[8]

Year	Venue	Location
1974-75		London
1976	Wimbledon Stadium	London
1977-84		Dore, South Yorkshire
1985-88		Bristol
1989-91		Newcastle upon Tyne
1992		Manchester
1993	Village Hotel	Cheadle, Greater Manchester
1994	Herts Country Club	Welwyn Garden City
1995		Dore, South Yorkshire
1996		Birmingham
1997		Manchester
1998	G-Mex	Manchester
1999-2002	Manchester Velodrome	Manchester
2003–2018	National Squash Centre	Manchester
2019–2020	David Ross Sports Village and Nottingham SRC	Nottingham
2021	National Squash Centre	Manchester
2022	David Ross Sports Village and Nottingham SRC	Nottingham
2023–2024	St George's Hill Lawn Tennis Club	Weybridge[9]

Past results

Men's finals

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score in final	ref
1974	Jonathan Leslie		6–9, 8–10, 9–3, 9–3, 9-2
1975	Phil Ayton		7–9, 9–7, 9–10, 9–7, 9-1
1976	Jonathan Leslie		2–9, 9–4, 5–9, 9–6, 9-5
1977	Phil Kenyon		2–9, 9–5, 9–3, 9-6
1978	Peter Verow		7–9, 9–6, 9–10, 9–4, 9-0
1979	Gawain Briars	Ian Robinson	9–5, 9–5, 9-0
1980	Jonah Barrington		4–9, 9–3, 9–0, 9-2
1981	Phil Kenyon		9–5, 9–4, 9-6
1982	Gawain Briars		9–7, 9–0, 9-2
1983	Phil Kenyon		5–9, 9–4, 1–9, 10–8, 9-1
1984	Geoff Williams		9–3, 9–1, 9-1
1985	Phil Kenyon		2–9, 9–4, 6–9, 9-3
1986	Bryan Beeson		9–2, 9–4, 6–9, 9-3
1987	Del Harris		3–9, 9–1, 9–6, 9-4
1988	Paul Carter		2–9, 9–4, 3–9, 9–6, 9-2
1989	Del Harris		1–9, 6–9, 9–4, 9–2, 9-3
1990	not held
1991	Paul Gregory		9–4, 7–9, 9–2, 9-0
1992	Peter Marshall		7–9, 9–4, 9–0, 9-0
1993	Phil Whitlock	Mark Allen	9–1, 9–7, 9-1
1994	Peter Marshall		9–6, 9–7, 9-4
1995	Stephen Meads		9–2, 9–0, 9-1
1996	Peter Nicol		9–6, 9–7, 9-1
1997	Mark Cairns		9–5, 9–7, 9-4
1998	Simon Parke		15–11, 15–11, 15-13
1999	Paul Johnson		10–15, 15–5, 15–8, 1–15, 15–7
2000	Peter Marshall		15–9, 15–6, 15–11
2001	Lee Beachill		15–13, 15–5, 15–8
2002	Lee Beachill		15–8, 13–15, 15–5, 15–10
2003	Peter Nicol		7–15, 15–11, 15–9, 12–15, 15–8
2004	John White		17–16, 17–14, 14–15, 15–8
2005	Lee Beachill		11–3, 11–6, 11–3
2006	Nick Matthew		11–9, 6–11, 11–9, 10–12, 12–10
2007	James Willstrop		12–10, 11–7, 11–5
2008	James Willstrop		11–9, 11–8, 11–4
2009	Nick Matthew		11–4, 11–3, 11–9
2010	Nick Matthew		11–5, 11–6, 11–6 (49m)
2011	Daryl Selby		9–11, 11–9, 6–11, 11–9, 11–7 (84m)	[10]
2012	Nick Matthew		11–8, 11–3, 8–11, 14–12 (81m)
2013	Nick Matthew		11–9, 11–3, 11–3 (49m)
2014	Nick Matthew		5–11, 12–10, 11–4, 11–8 (78m)
2015	Nick Matthew		11–5, 11–3, 11–2 (45m)
2016	Nick Matthew		11–2, 6–11, 11–3, 11–3 (50m)
2017	Nick Matthew		11–6, 11–4, 11–8 (40m)
2018	Nick Matthew		11–7, 12–10, 8–7, 11–6 (69m)
2019	James Willstrop		11–5, 7–11, 11–5, 11-7 (60m)
2020	James Willstrop		12–10, 0–11, 12–10, 14-12
2021	Joel Makin		11–7, 11–2, 11-1	[11]
2022	Mohamed El Shorbagy		12–10, 12–10, 12-10	[12]
2023	Mohamed El Shorbagy		11–7, 12–10, 11-5	[13]
2024	Joel Makin		8–11, 15–13, 11–3, 8–11, 11-2	[14]

Women's finals

Year	Champion	Runner-up	Score in final	ref
1975	Sue Cogswell		9–4, 9–7, 9-1
1976	Angela Smith		9–3, 9–5, 9-7
1977	Sue Cogswell		9–2, 9–0, 9-1
1978	Sue Cogswell		10–8, 9–1, 9-4
1979	Sue Cogswell		5–9, 10–9, 10–8, 9-4
1980	Sue Cogswell		9–7, 9–4, 9-1
1981	Lisa Opie		10–8, 9–4, 9-7
1982	Alison Cumings		7–9, 9–4, 7–9, 9–2, 9-4
1983	Lisa Opie		10–9, 9–1, 9-4
1984	Martine Le Moignan		9–1, 9–2, 9-0
1985	Lucy Soutter		9–7, 9–5, 9-0
1986	Lisa Opie		9–7, 9–1, 9-0
1987	Lisa Opie		6–9, 5–9, 9–2, 9–0, 9-4
1988	Martine Le Moignan		9–3, 6–9, 4–9, 9–4, 9-0
1989	Lucy Soutter		9–3, 9–5, 9-3
1990	not held
1991	Martine Le Moignan		9–7, 9–1, 10-8
1992	Sue Wright		9–2, 9–6, 5–9, 9-5
1993	Cassie Campion		9–3, 9–3, 9-4
1994	Suzanne Horner		9–4, 9–1, 9-1
1995	Fiona Geaves		9–6, 9–10, 9–6, 9-6
1996	Suzanne Horner		9–4, 7–9, 9–4, 9-1
1997	Sue Wright		9–4, 9–10, 9–6, 9-6
1998	Sue Wright		3–9, 9–3, 9–1, 9-2
1999	Cassie Campion		9–5, 3–9, 6–9, 9–0, 9–6
2000	Cassie Campion		9–1, 2–9, 9–2, 2–9, 9–3
2001	Sue Wright		10–9, 9–2, 3–9, 10–8
2002	Cassie Campion		9–5, 9–6, 9–2
2003	Cassie Campion		9–6, 4–9, 9–4, 9–3
2004	Cassie Campion		9–3, 9–1, 9–5
2005	Linda Charman		9–2, 9–4, 9–3
2006	Tania Bailey		9–7, 6–9, 9–6, 9–3
2007	Jenny Duncalf		5–9, 6–9, 9–3, 9–0, 9–3
2008	Alison Waters		6–11, 11–7, 11–8, 11–9
2009	Jenny Duncalf		11–13, 11–8, 11–6, 11–6
2010	Alison Waters		10–12, 11–7, 4–11, 11–7, 12–10 (65m)
2011	Laura Massaro		7–11, 11–9, 7–11, 11–7, 11–2 (62m)
2012	Laura Massaro		11–2, 11–9, 8–11, 11–4 (53m)
2013	Alison Waters		11–7, 7–11, 12–10, 6–11, 13–11 (78m)
2014	Alison Waters		11–3, 11–6, 11–6 (32m)
2015	Sarah-Jane Perry		12–10, 11–9, 7–11, 10–12, 11–7 (80m)
2016	Laura Massaro		11–2, 11–5, 11–4 (24m)
2017	Laura Massaro		11–5, 12–10, 11-9 (42m)
2018	Tesni Evans		11–5, 11–9, 11-7 (43m)
2019	Tesni Evans		11-3 11-6 11-5 (31m)
2020	Sarah-Jane Perry		11–9, 11–9, 11-9
2021	Sarah-Jane Perry		9–11, 11–4, 11–8, 11-6
2022	Jasmine Hutton		11–3, 11–9, 11-8
2023	Jasmine Hutton		13–11, 11–8, 8–11, 7–11, 5–3 ret
2024	Georgina Kennedy		11–9, 11–8, 9–11, 11–9

Notes and References

1. Web site: History - British National Squash Champions 1974-2021 . British National Squash Championships . 4 May 2023.
2. http://www.englandsquashandracketball.com/competitions/major-events/national-championships,"NATIONAL SQUASH CHAMPIONSHIPS 2011", England Squash & Racketball. Retrieved 13 February 2011
3. Web site: A J Bell National Championships. nationalsquashchampionships.com.
4. News: Eaton . Richard . Attempt to avert English boycott . . 12 December 1992.
5. News: Eaton . Richard . Rebels vindicated . . 2 April 1993.
6. Web site: PSA World Tour | Players | Dunlop PSA World Rankings . 8 January 2012 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20120106133715/http://www.psaworldtour.com/page/WorldRankings/0%2C%2C13121%2C00.html . 6 January 2012 . . Retrieved 13 February 2012
7. Web site: History . 14 February 2011 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110727080718/http://www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk/archive/history.htm . 27 July 2011 . "Full details from recent events", webmaster – Steve Cubbins. Retrieved 13 February 2011
8. Web site: Nationals History . National Squash Championships . 11 January 2019.
9. Web site: Weybridge to host British National Squash Championships in August . National Squash Champs . 9 June 2024.
10. Web site: Today at the British National Squash Championships . 14 February 2011 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110215073441/http://www.nationalsquashchamps.co.uk/today11.htm . 15 February 2011 . "TODAY at Eastlands". Retrieved 13 February 2011
11. Web site: TOP SEEDS PERRY AND MAKIN CLAIM BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES . PSA World Tour . 6 August 2021 . 13 August 2022.
12. Web site: ElShorbagy and Hutton Claim Maiden British National Titles In Manchester . England Squash . 18 June 2022 . 13 August 2022.
13. Web site: Hutton and ElShorbagy Retain British Nationals Titles . National Squash Champs. 19 August 2023 . 17 November 2023.
14. Web site: Makin crowned British champion . BBC Sport . 18 August 2024 . 28 October 2024.