Throwback Thursday: Story of the 2017 Women’s British Open

The Allam British Open begins next week as the tournament takes place from May 15-20 at Hull’s Airco Arena.

The top players in the world will all be taking part when the tournament begins as they look to get their hands on the sport’s oldest and most prestigious title.

We take a look back at the story of last year’s women’s British Open when two home hopes battled it out for the title…

Results
Round One
[10] Annie Au (HKG) bt [Q] Coline Aumard (FRA) 3-2: 7-11, 6-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9 (55m)
[Q] Mayar Hany (EGY) bt [9] Joelle King (NZL) 3-1: 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 (42m)
[Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) bt [4] Nouran Gohar (EGY) 3-1: 12-10, 14-12, 5-11, 11-8 (45m)
[11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) bt [Q] Samantha Teran (MEX) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-4 (18m)
[13] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt Liu Tsz-Ling (HKG) 3-1: 11-8, 1-11, 11-6, 11-3 (36m)
Tesni Evans (WAL) bt [16] Salma Hany (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-5, 11-9 (38m)
[12] Joshna Chinappa (IND) bt [Q] Rachael Grinham (AUS) 3-1: 11-6, 8-11, 11-6, 12-10 (40m)
[14] Joey Chan (HKG) bt Jenny Duncalf (ENG) 3-0: 11-2, 11-6, 11-7 (25m)
[8] Alison Waters (ENG) bt Mariam Metwally (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 7-2 retired (12m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [Q] Nele Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (26m)
[15] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [Q] Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-1: 9-11, 14-12, 11-6, 11-5 (46m)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) bt Olivia Blatchford (USA) 3-0: 11-7, 11-7, 11-4 (30m)
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt Line Hansen (DEN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-7, 11-3 (21m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt Dipika Pallikal Karthik (IND) 3-1: 11-4, 11-5, 11-13, 11-1 (39m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [WC] Fiona Moverley (ENG) 3-0: 13-11, 11-7, 11-6 (27m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [Q] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 12-10, 11-3 (34m)

The first major shock of the tournament came when 2016 runner-up Nouran Gohar fell to defeat in the opening round to 16-year-old Egyptian qualifier Nada Abbas.

Abbas countered Gohar’s trademark hard-hitting style brilliantly, with the then-World No.45 slowing the pace and controlling the court to claim a stunning 12-10, 14-12, 5-11, 11-8 victory.

The other shock in round one came courtesy of Egyptian qualifier Mayar Hany as she saw off number nine seed New Zealand’s Joelle King after coming from a game down to win 7-11, 11-9, 11-4, 11-9 in 42 minutes.

Round Two
[13] Emily Whitlock (ENG) bt [8] Alison Waters (ENG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-7, 11-9 (31m)
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [10] Annie Au (HKG) 3-0: 11-4, 11-8, 11-6 (25m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [Q] Mayar Hany (EGY) 3-0: 11-5, 11-1, 11-9 (29m)
[3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) bt [12] Joshna Chinappa (IND) 3-0: 11-8, 11-7, 11-7 (27m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt Tesni Evans (WAL) 3-0: 11-5, 11-8, 11-8 (43m)
[15] Donna Urquhart (AUS) bt [Q] Nada Abbas (EGY) 3-2: 8-11, 11-3, 11-8, 6-11, 11-1 (46m)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) bt [14] Joey Chan (HKG) 3-1: 11-4, 14-12, 9-11, 11-2 (47m)
[2] Camille Serme (FRA) bt [11] Nour El Tayeb (EGY) 3-1: 11-8, 11-9, 5-11, 11-9 (54m)

The surprises continued to come thick and fast in the women’s event as England’s Emily Whitlock reached the quarter-final stage for the first time in her career as she defeated fellow Englishwoman Alison Waters in their second-round fixture.

Meanwhile, Nour El Sherbini, Camille Serme, Raneem El Welily and Laura Massaro all ensured a safe passage through to the quarter-finals.

Quarter-finals
[1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) bt [13] Emily Whitlock (ENG) 3-0: 3-11, 4-11, 4-11 (23m)
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [3] Raneem El Welily (EGY) 3-1: 11-3, 13-15, 11-6, 11-6 (47m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [15] Donna Urquhart (AUS) 3-2: 11-4, 7-11, 13-11, 6-11, 11-4 (58m)
[6] Nicol David (MAS) bt [2] Camille Serme (FRA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-8 (39m)

England’s Massaro defeated number three seed Egypt’s El Welily at the quarter-final stage as she saw off the shot-making sensation by an 11-3, 13-15, 11-6, 11-6 scoreline.

Elsewhere, Malaysia’s eight-time World Champion Nicol David knocked out number two seed France’s Camille Serme as she completed a comprehensive straight-games victory over the 2015 winner.

Semi-finals
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [1] Nour El Sherbini (EGY) 3-2: 5-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 (63m)
[7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) bt [6] Nicol David (MAS) 3-1: 11-8, 7-11, 13-11, 11-7 (56m)

England’s Massaro was staring down the barrel of defeat in her clash against defending champion El Sherbini in this epic semi-final clash.

The Egyptian World No.1 started imperiously as she took the first two games. However, Massaro, drawing on the support of a passionate home crowd, dug in resiliently and swung the momentum of the match on its head to come through 5-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-6 and secure an unexpected place in the final.

Elsewhere, England’s Sarah-Jane Perry defeated five-time British Open winner David to set up a final meeting against Massaro as she produced a sublime display to claim her second successive win over the Malaysian and reach her first ever World Series final.

Final
[5] Laura Massaro (ENG) bt [7] Sarah-Jane Perry (ENG) 3-1: 11-8, 11-8, 6-11, 11-6 (55m)

Massaro kick-started the historic day – which was the first female all-English British Open final since 1991 – by taking a tight opener 11-8, starving Perry of any opportunity to attack before quickly doubling her advantage.

Perry refused to be beaten though as she took the third by forcing errors from Massaro but the Preston-based Massaro re-established her control and squeezed an error on Championship ball to claim her second British Open crown.

“It’s just unbelievable,” said Massaro following her win.

“When I won the British Open for the first time I was so happy. There was a little bit more pressure coming into today as I beat Nicol, who was World No.1, for my first title and at the time there was absolutely no pressure on me.

“I’m proud of myself for the week and for bouncing back because this has probably not been my best season. I’m just happy I managed to tough it out in the end and keep getting balls back and it paid off. It’s a little bit different because the first one was so special.”