Ralph Nichols

Ralph Cyril Fulford Nichols (12 August 1910 – 27 May 2001) was an English male international badminton player.

Badminton career Nichols won 9 All England Open Badminton Championships titles between 1932 and 1939, 5 of them in men's singles, 3 in men's doubles with his older brother Leslie Nichols and 1 in mixed doubles, and is the last Englishman to win the All England Open in men's singles (1938). He also won three Irish Championships.

He was part of the English touring team that visited Canada during 1930. A match was held at the Granite Club in Toronto which England won 7–2.

Nichols was included in the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997.

Achievements International tournaments (27 titles, 15 runners-up) Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1932 All England Open Raymond M. White 5–15, 15–11, 18–16 Winner 1934 All England Open Thomas P. Dick 15–11, 15–8 Winner 1935 All England Open Raymond M. White 10–15, 7–15 Runner-up 1935 French Open Ian Maconachie 15–8, 16–18, 15–10 Winner 1936 Irish Open James Rankin 15–11, 15–7 Winner 1936 All England Open Raymond M. White 18–16, 17–18, 15–10 Winner 1937 Scottish Open Thomas P. Dick 13–15, 15–14, 15–11 Winner 1937 All England Open Thomas P. Dick 15–8, 15–7 Winner 1938 All England Open Jesper Bie 15–4, 15–5 Winner 1939 Scottish Open Maurice Field 15–9, 15–17, 15–7 Winner 1939 All England Open Tage Madsen 15–10, 13–18, 7–15 Runner-up 1939 Denmark Open Tage Madsen 10–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1947 Scottish Open Noel B. Radford 8–15, 16–18 Runner-up

Men's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1929 Welsh International Donald C. Hume Arthur Hamilton Willoughby Hamilton 15–12, 15–7 Winner 1931 Welsh International Leslie Nichols Arthur Hamilton Willoughby Hamilton 15–8, 12–15, 2–15 Runner-up 1932 Irish Open Donald C. Hume Thomas P. Dick Raymond M. White 15–11, 8–15, 15–2 Winner 1932 All England Open Leslie Nichols Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 15–14, 16–18, 4–15 Runner-up 1934 Irish Open Donald C. Hume Ian Maconachie Willoughby Hamilton 9–15, 15–12, 5–15 Runner-up 1934 All England Open Leslie Nichols Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 12–15, 15–12, 7–15 Runner-up 1935 All England Open Leslie Nichols Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 12–15, 13–15 Runner-up 1935 French Open Geoffrey J. Fish F. L. Treasure Alan Titherley 15–2, 15–18, 15–9 Winner 1936 All England Open Leslie Nichols Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 15–7, 15–2 Winner 1937 Scottish Open Ian Maconachie Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 8–15, 15–9, 15–7 Winner 1937 All England Open Leslie Nichols Donald C. Hume Raymond M. White 15–6, 18–14 Winner 1938 All England Open Leslie Nichols Ian Maconachie Raymond M. White 15–12, 7–15, 15–9 Winner 1939 All England Open Leslie Nichols Thomas Boyle James Rankin 4–15, 3–15 Runner-up 1939 Denmark Open Raymond M. White Carl Frøhlke Tage Madsen 15–6, 15–3 Winner 1947 Scottish Open Ian Maconachie Noel B. Radford W. F. G. Normand 15–6, 15–4 Winner 1949 French Open Geoffrey J. Fish Foo Sun Lau Yat Sun Lau 3–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1950 Scottish Open Barron Renton Warwick Shute Tom Wingfield 15–4, 15–7 Winner 1954 French Open Geoffrey J. Fish Pierre Lenoir Ghislain Vasseur 15–6, 15–6 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1931 Welsh International Nora Coop Leslie Nichols Hazel Hogarth 15–8, 18–15 Winner 1932 Welsh International Nora Coop Thomas P. Dick Hazel Hogarth 3–15, 15–1, 12–15 Runner-up 1935 French Open Diana Doveton Geoffrey J. Fish Betty Uber 15–11, 15–10 Winner 1937 All England Open J. W. Stewart Ian Maconachie Thelma Kingsbury 11–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1938 All England Open Bessie Staples Raymond M. White Betty Uber 10–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1939 All England Open Bessie Staples James Rankin Mavis Macnaughton 15–10, 6–15, 15–8 Winner 1939 Denmark Open Bessie Staples Raymond M. White Diana Doveton 17–14, 15–7 Winner 1947 Scottish Open Bessie Shearlaw J. S. Millar Elizabeth Armstrong 15–7, 15–5 Winner 1947 Irish Open Bessie Shearlaw Thomas Boyle W. Swann 15–8, 15–3 Winner 1949 French Open Mavis Henderson David Choong Anne Lehmeier 12–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1954 French Open Elisabeth O'Beirne Henri Pellizza Noëlle Ailloud 15–4, 15–8 Winner

Summary