British Open Celebrates Centenary Today!

The British Open Squash Championship - for most its history considered the sport's World Championship - today celebrates its centenary.

Research by World Squash Library has revealed that the first Women's British Open began on 7 February 1922 - exactly 100 years ago. The sport's archives have generally simply recorded an event's year, or even season, rather than more detail.

Played Queen's Club in London - as were the following 17 editions - the inaugural championship took place between 7-9 February 1922. The Women's event preceded the Men's championship, which began eight years later in 1930 - the men playing on a challenge basis until 1947.

"Until now, for the first few decades, actual dates have not been listed for British Open editions," Library founder Andrew Shelley explained: "And as they often denoted the year of the start of the British squash season (which ran from September to April), many were simply incorrect!

"Events were often held both before and after the New Year - so, in some years there were two events and in others none at all!"

The full history of squash's unofficial world title (before the World Open began in 1976) is now available at www.squashlibrary.info/british-open

[Pictured above is a selection of multiple winners (L to R from top): Heather McKay, Jansher Khan, Janet Morgan, Jahangir Khan, Michelle Martin, Geoff Hunt, Nicol David, Hashim Khan & Susan Devoy]

"The page details the dates, venues, winners, programme scans and champions posters as a new Library reference resource for our sport," Shelley concluded.