Where: Edgbaston Priory Club, Birmingham Rep
When: April 9-16 2023
A World No.1 banned from playing, two players jostling to take over, a Kiwi attempting a hat-trick of titles for the first time since Jansher Khan in the nineties – and that’s just on the men’s side.
Egyptians will be gunning for a fifth straight title in the women’s event. While there is rancour at the top of the men’s game, the women’s is in rude health and shouldn’t be sideline show given the quality and power that we are currently seeing.
Yet, it’s hard not to look beyond the fact that this is the first big event staged without Mostafa Asal, the brilliant but controversial Egyptian back home with the sport’s oldest event upon us.
“I have never seen a No.1 in the world getting banned from the British Open,” Jahangir Khan told Squash Mad this week. There have been on-court fights and sanctions and players being banned for drugs over the years. Never has there been a situation like the one engulfing the men’s game.
We also can’t look beyond the fact that, without Asal, the focus for now will purely be on the squash.
While Joel Makin offers Britain the best bet of a home winner – he has been handed a horror second round draw against Diego Elias – two Brits in Sarah-Jane Perry and Gina Kennedy are seeded in the women’s and are capable of making inroads into the latter stages. There is no obvious title favourite, despite Nouran Gohar and Nour El Sherbini being seeded to meet in the final. Meanwhile, New Zealander Paul Coll, who didn’t lose a game in 2022, is attempting to win a third straight British title.
The sport returning to the stage after forays at a theatre in Rotterdam and an opera house in Dubai over the last decade is a welcome one. The sport lends itself well to these environs and The Rep set-up, with its rising bank of seats above the stage – unlike Rotterdam and Dubai – should make for a fine atmosphere. Like every new venue, it remains to be seen how raucous the atmosphere can reach. This is squash in England after all and it’s likely to be a stilted one given the nature of any theatre.
Yet, the move away from Hull was needed if the sport’s oldest event is to jostle for publicity and coverage. Over the next week or so, there is the perfect opportunity for squash to sell itself and make sure photos and video are available to the media with this new venue in the UK’s second city. It is another string to the bow of squash’s ability to capture the imagination. In a year where sports are jostling for Olympic participation, that’s crucial. The stage awaits.
On an equal par
In 2017, the British Open offered equal prize money for the first time in its history, with $150,000 across the men’s and women’s draws. It made the BO the fourth major tournament to offer parity, and the first major British squash tournament to do so. In 2023, a record prize fund of $370,000 will be on offer and will be split equally between the two events.
The draw
The opening two rounds will be held at Edgbaston Priory, a venue well versed in hosting events with University of Birmingham. Action will move to Birmingham Rep from the third round onwards.
The battle for women’s and men’s No.1 (according to the PSA)
For Nour El Sherbini to go back to World No.1:
– El Sherbini wins the British Open AND Gohar fails to reach the final
For Nouran Gohar to remain as World No.1:
– Gohar wins the British Open OR
– Gohar finishes runner-up OR
– El Sherbini fails to win the British Open
For Diego Elias to become World No.1:
– Elias wins the British Open OR
– ElShorbagy fails to make the final
For Mohamed ElShorbagy to return to World No.1:
– ElShorbagy wins the British Open OR
– ElShorbagy finishes runner-up AND Elias fails to reach the final
Back in time… to 15 years ago
The grit and determination of David Palmer prevailed in Liverpool in a British Open men’s classic. The Marine fought off a marvellous comeback in 2008 from James Willstrop as the Englishman then marched on to 9-6 in the fifth and even held two match balls before Palmer won 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 13-11.
It was his fourth BO title and, along with his two world championships, left him with a better record in the top tier events than Jonathon Power and Peter Nicol. “I came here just wanting to find out whether I could still compete at this level,” the then 32-year-old told reporters. What a player.
How to watch the 2023 British Open
First and second round action from the traditional courts will be streamed on the British Open website. Third round onwards from The Rep will be streamed live on SQUASHTV.