PSA Women’s World Championship: Tournament History

Nour El Sherbini with the PSA Women's World Championship trophy

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Egypt will host the Orascom Development PSA Women’s World Championship for the second time in four years when the biggest tournament in Women’s squash gets under way on April 7 at the New Marina in El Gouna.

Offering a lucrative $165,000 prize fund, the PSA Women’s World Championship is the most prestigious event on the Women’s Tour and first began in 1976, when the iconic Heather McKay lifted the first of her two titles, beating Marion Jackman on home soil in Brisbane, Australia.

Fellow Australians Rhonda Thorne and Sarah Cardwell followed in McKay’s footsteps before the legendary Susan Devoy became the first non-Australian player to get her hands on the coveted trophy in 1985, at which point the tournament was a biennial event.

Martine Le Moignan was the first Englishwoman to capture the title, before Devoy took the next two titles in 1990 and 1992, with the tournament switching to an annual format from that point onwards.

Australia dominated the event over the next decade, with Michelle Martin’s triumph in 1993 bringing about a period that saw the title shared between her (three wins), Sarah Fitz-Gerald (5) and Carol Owens (1) in nine of the 10 tournaments held between 1993-2002.

England’s Cassie Campion was the only player to put a dent in the Australian dominance of the 90s, with her 1999 triumph over Martin seeing her become the first female English World Champion in 10 years.

Over the next few years, the legendary Malaysian Nicol David made her mark on the tournament, claiming her maiden World Championship title in Hong Kong in 2005 courtesy of a win over Australian Rachael Grinham, before retaining her title the following year with a win over Grinham’s younger sister, Natalie.

The Grinham sisters met in the final in 2007, with Rachael being the victor, but David responded with an incredible five wins on the bounce in an unprecedented spell of dominance.

That run eventually came to an end in the 2013 edition, which saw England’s Laura Massaro claim her first Worlds title in Penang, beating then 18-year-old Nour El Sherbini in the showpiece finale.

But El Sherbini got her revenge in last year’s final in Kuala Lumpur as she battled back from two games down to become the youngest ever Women’s World Champion at the age of 20 – eclipsing the record set by Devoy 31 years earlier.

The latest instalment of the Women’s World Championship will be held alongside the Men’s El Gouna International Open, with an exciting week of top-class action in store for squash fans everywhere between April 7-14.

Previous Winners
2015 Nour El Sherbini (EGY)
2014 Nicol David (MAS)
2013 Laura Massaro (ENG)
2012 Nicol David (MAS)
2011 Nicol David (MAS)
2010 Nicol David (MAS)
2009 Nicol David (MAS)
2008 Nicol David (MAS)
2007 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
2006 Nicol David (MAS)
2005 Nicol David (MAS)
2004 Vanessa Atkinson (NED)
2003 Carol Owens (NZL)
2002 Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS)
2001 Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS)
2000 Carol Owens (AUS)
1999 Cassie Campion (ENG)
1998 Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS)
1997 Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS)
1996 Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS)
1995 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1994 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1993 Michelle Martin (AUS)
1992 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1991 No competition
1990 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1989 Martine Le Moignan (ENG)
1988 No competition
1987 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1986 No competition
1985 Susan Devoy (NZL)
1984 No competition
1983 Vicki Cardwell (AUS)
1982 No competition
1981 Rhonda Thorne (AUS)
1980 No competition
1979 Heather McKay (AUS)
1978 No competition
1977 No competition
1976 Heather McKay (AUS)