Iconic 2022 Allam British Open Squash Championships returns to University of Hull

The University of Hull will welcome back some of the world’s top squash players next week, as the Allam British Open returns to the city.

Celebrating its centenary year in 2022, the Championships is the longest-running tournament in professional squash.

The University of Hull are proud to have held the Allam British Open for the past three years. This year, the event will be hosted in the University’s Allam Sports Centre between March 28 - April 3.

Steve Curtis, Head of Sport at the University of Hull, said: “In recent years the University has invested over £16m into its sports facilities, providing students and the wider community with high-quality sporting provisions.

“Hosting the prestigious Allam British Open gives people a chance to see the world’s best squash players in action, and experience the sport being played at the very highest level.

“We are proud to be working alongside the Professional Squash Association to deliver the event, and to help put Hull on the map as a home of elite squash.”

Since beginning in 1922 with a women’s event ­– won by England’s Joyce Cave – the Allam British Open has established itself as one of the most iconic tournaments on the PSA World Tour.

Some of the sport’s biggest names have lifted the famous trophy, including greats such as Australia’s Heather McKay and Pakistan’s Jahangir Khan, who hold the record for most British Open wins, with 16 and 10 respectively.

This year will also see the tournament celebrate 10 years of support from title sponsor Dr Assem Allam, who first became involved with the tournament in 2012.

Since then, the tournament has become synonymous with Hull and has gone from strength-to-strength, culminating in last year’s dramatic event which saw Paul Coll become the first male New Zealander to win the title, while Nour El Sherbini captured her third British Open crown.

Dr Allam has himself created a record with a 10th consecutive year as title sponsor for one of the most prestigious events on the PSA World Tour calendar.

He said: “This is a great honour for me to have been able to sponsor such an iconic sports event with so many stories and memories.

“The event has touched every corner of the world and I am so proud to now create another story as the longest consecutive title sponsor in the 100-year history of the event.”

Coll will return to defend his title. Coll, who will become the first male Kiwi to reach World No.1 prior to the event, is the No.2 seed and will play either three-time runner-up James Willstrop or Frenchman Auguste Dussourd in round two.

In the women’s draw, El Sherbini is unable to compete at the Championships this year, due to a hip injury.

In addition to the $360,000 in total player prize compensation, a place at the season-ending CIB PSA World Tour Finals is also up for grabs, with all winners of PSA World Tour Platinum events being granted a spot at the tour’s showpiece event, which will be held in Cairo, Egypt in June 2022.