The British Open is the longest-running event on the PSA World Tour, but didn’t happen in 2010 and 2011 due to a lack of sponsorship. The late Dr Assam Allam stepped in to sponsor the event, which resumed in 2012 – here’s a pictorial look at the finals since then.
2012, O2 Arena, London
England’s Nick Matthew claims his third British Open title – effectively retaining it as he won the 2009 event – while Nicol David beats 15-year-old Nour El Sherbini to claim her fourth.
M : Nick Matthew (Eng) 3-0 Ramy Ashour (Egy) 11-9, 11-4, 11-8 (49m)
W : Nicol David (Mas) 3-0 Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 11-6, 11-6 , 11-6 (33m)
2013, KC Stadium, Hull
Taking place inside a football stadium – and suffering with the wind, rain, and May sunshine – 2013 saw Ramy Ashour claim his first and only BO title, while Laura Massaro dethroned Nicol David to end a long wait for a British winner (since Lisa Opie in 1991).
M : Ramy Ashour (Egy) 3-1 Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 7-11, 11-4, 11-7, 11-8 (64m)
W : Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 Nicol David (Mas) 4-11, 11-3, 10-12, 11-8 (53m)
2014, Airco Arena, Hull
Indoors this time, the 2013 champions were both beaten in the finals as Nicol David bounced back to take her fifth and last title while Gregory Gaultier claimed his second, 7 years after his first.
M : Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-0 Nick Matthew (Eng) 11-3, 11-6, 11-2 (45m)
W : Nicol David (Mas) 3-1 Laura Massaro (Eng) 8-11, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8 (64m)
2015, Airco Arena, Hull
It’s a third final in a row for Laura Massaro, but it’s France’s Camille Serme who takes the title as Mohamed ElShorbagy also claims his first with a marathon win over defending champion Gaultier, also making his third final in a row.
M : Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-2 Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 11-9, 6-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-5 (93m)
W : 2015 Camille Serme (Fra) 3-1 Laura Massaro (Eng) 11-3, 11-5, 8-11, 11-8 (51m)
2016, Airco Arena, Hull
It’s an all Egypt finals day as Mohamed ElShorbagy retains the men’s title with a dominant win over Ramy Ashour, while Nour El Sherbini edges home for a first title in the first ever all-Egyptian women’s final.
M : Mohamed Elshorbagy (Egy) 3-0 Ramy Ashour (Egy) 11-2, 11-5, 11-9 (27m)
W : Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-2 Nouran Gohar (Egy) 11-7, 9-11, 7-11, 11-6, 11-8 (75m)
2017, Airco Arena, Hull
In the first all-British final since 1991 Laura Massaro claims a second title while Gregory Gaultier beats Nick Matthew to join him on three titles.
M : Gregory Gaultier (Fra) 3-1 Nick Matthew (Eng) 8-11, 11-7, 11-3, 11-3 (49m)
W : Laura Massaro (Eng) 3-1 Sarah-Jane Perry (Eng) 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 (55m)
2018, Airco Arena, Hull
An astonishing performance from Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez to become the first South American champion, as Nour El Sherbini beats Egyptian rival Raneem El Welily to secure her second title.
M : Miguel Rodriguez (Col) 3-2 Mohamed ElShorbagy (Egy) 11-7, 6-11, 8-11, 11-2, 11-9 (102m)
W : Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-0 Raneem El Welily (Egy) 11-6, 11-9, 14-12 (47m)
2019, University of Hull, Hull
Another Egyptian double as Mohamed ElShorbagy makes it a hat-trick of titles and Nouran Gohar claims her first.
M : Mohamed ElShorbagy (Egy) 3-1 Ali Farag (Egy) 11-9, 5-11, 11-5, 11-9 (66m)
W : Nouran Gohar (Egy) 3-0 Camille Serme (Fra) 11-3, 11-8, 11-3 (30m)
2021, Allam Sport Centre, Hull
After the 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid, Nour El Sherbini wins the battle of the previous two champions to claim a third title, while Paul Coll becomes the first Kiwi men’s winner as he consigns Ali Farag to a second successive runners-up medal.
M : Paul Coll (Nzl) 3-1 Ali Farag (Egy) 6-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (64m)
W : Nour El Sherbini (Egy) 3-2 Nouran Gohar (Egy) 9-11, 13-11, 5-11, 11-7, 11-2 (64m)
2022, Allam Sport Centre, Hull
In a repeat men’s final against Ali Farag Paul Coll retains the title, while Hania El Hammamy claims a first as she beats Nouran Gohar in the longest women’s final since 2007. It’s Dr Allam’s last BO.
M : Paul Coll (Nzl ) 3-0 Ali Farag (Egy) 12-10, 11-6, 11-4 (50m)
W : Hania El Hammamy (Egy) 3-1 Nouran Gohar (Egy) 11-9, 11-7, 8-11, 11-4 (76m)
2023 : Rep Theatre, Birmingham
The British Open moves to Birmingham, where after losing the previous three finals Ali Farag finally gets his first title, while Nour El Sherbini extends her every-other-year record to claim a fourth.
M : Ali Farag (Egy) 3-1 Diego Elias (Per) 13-11, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9 (59m)
W : Nour El Sherbini(Egy) 3-0 Nouran Gohar (Egy) 11-9, 11-7, 11-1 (42m)
2024 : Rep Theatre, Birmingham
tbc
