Susan Whetnall

Susan D. Whetnall (born 11 December 1942, née Susan Pound) is a former English badminton player, noted for her anticipation and shot-making ability, who won numerous international titles in doubles and mixed doubles from the mid-1960s through the mid-1970s. She was married to another English former international player, Paul Whetnall, from 1968 until his death in May 2014.

Badminton career Born, Susan Pound, she married fellow international player Paul Whetnall in 1968, and competed in her married name thereafter.

Whetnall shared three women's doubles titles (1969, 1970, 1976) and two mixed doubles titles (1968, 1974) at the All-England Championships which was then considered the world's most prestigious tournament for individual players. She represented the England team at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she competed in the badminton events, winning a gold medal in the women's doubles.

Four years later she won two more medals at the 1974 British Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Whetnall also won five gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze medal in the European Badminton Championships between 1968 and 1976, making her one of the most successful players ever in this biennial tournament.

She was elected to the Badminton Hall of Fame in 2009.

Major achievements Commonwealth Games Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1970 Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland Margaret Boxall Julie Rickard Gillian Perrin 15–9, 15–2 Gold Gold 1974 Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand Margaret Boxall Margaret Beck Gillian Perrin 7–15, 5–15 Silver Silver

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1970 Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, Scotland David Eddy Paul Whetnall Julie Rickard 15–8, 12–15, 15–12 Bronze Bronze 1974 Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New Zealand Elliot Stuart Richard Purser Alison Branfield 15–10, 15–4 Bronze Bronze

European Championships Women's singles Year Venue Opponent Score Result 1976 Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, Ireland Gillian Gilks 5–11, 2–11 Bronze Bronze

Women's doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1968 Ruhrlandhalle, Bochum, West Germany Margaret Boxall Angela Bairstow Gillian Perrin 15–7, 18–13 Gold Gold 1970 Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales Margaret Boxall Irmgard Latz Marieluise Wackerow 2–3 retired Gold Gold 1974 Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria Nora Gardner Margaret Beck Gillian Gilks 10–15, 13–15 Silver Silver 1976 Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, Ireland Gillian Gilks Margaret Beck Nora Gardner 15–4, 15–8 Gold Gold

Mixed doubles Year Venue Partner Opponent Score Result 1968 Ruhrlandhalle, Bochum, West Germany Tony Jordan Roger Mills Gillian Perrin 15–13, 15–9 Gold Gold 1970 Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales David Eddy Derek Talbot Gillian Perrin 17–16, 17–16 Gold Gold 1974 Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria Elliot Stuart Derek Talbot Gillian Gilks 15–5, 3–15, 3–15 Silver Silver

International tournaments (34 titles, 9 runners-up) Women's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result 1969 Scottish Open Margaret Boxall 11–8, 4–11, 10–12 Runner-up 1970 Dutch Open Lonny Bostofte 11–6, 6–11, 11–6 Winner 1975 South African Championships Deirdre Tyghe 7–11, 11–2, 8–11 Runner-up

Women's doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1965 German Open Veronica Brock Brenda Parr Ursula Smith 5–15, 16–17 Runner-up 1967 Irish Open Margaret Boxall Gillian Perrin Iris Rogers 15–8, 15–7 Winner 1968 Scottish Open Margaret Boxall Jenny Horton Ursula Smith 9–15, 9–15 Runner-up 1968 Dutch Open Margaret Boxall Angela Bairstow Alison Glenie 5–15, 15–0, 15–9 Winner 1968 German Open Margaret Boxall Irmgard Latz Marieluise Wackerow 15–6, 15–7 Winner 1969 All England Open Margaret Boxall Hiroe Amano Tomoko Takahashi 15–11, 15–11 Winner 1969 Irish Open Margaret Boxall Mary Bryan Yvonne Kelly 15–3, 15–10 Winner 1969 South African Championships Margaret Boxall Wilma Prade Ann Smith 15–6, 15–4 Winner 1969 Swedish Open Margaret Boxall Anne Flindt Pernille Mølgaard Hansen 4–15, 15–5, 15–10 Winner 1969 Scottish Open Margaret Boxall Mary Bryan Yvonne Kelly 15–4, 15–6 Winner 1970 Belgian International Margaret Boxall Imre Rietveld Nielsen Anne Berglund 15–4, 15–6 Winner 1970 All England Open Margaret Boxall Gillian Perrin Julie Rickard 15–6, 8–15, 15–9 Winner 1970 Canadian Open Margaret Boxall Tyna Barinaga Caroline Hein 15–5, 5–15, 15–13 Winner 1970 U.S. Open Margaret Boxall Machiko Aizawa Etsuko Takenaka 10–15, 11–15 Runner-up 1970 Dutch Open Margaret Boxall Irmgard Latz Marieluise Wackerow 18–15, 12–15, 15–1 Winner 1970 Scottish Open Margaret Boxall Margaret Beck Gillian Perrin 15–2, 15–18, 15–5 Winner 1974 All England Open Margaret Boxall Margaret Beck Gillian Gilks 5–15, 14–18 Runner-up 1974 Scottish Open Margaret Boxall Margaret Beck Gillian Gilks 15–9, 10–15, 15–10 Winner 1975 Dutch Open Nora Gardner Marjan Luesken Joke van Beusekom 15–3, 15–5 Winner 1975 South African Championships Barbara Giles Deirdre Tyghe Barbara Lord 12–15, 15–7, 18–17 Winner 1975 Swedish Open Barbara Giles Nora Gardner Gillian Gilks 15–9, 4–15, 15–11 Winner 1976 U.S. Open Gillian Gilks Pam Bristol Brady Rosine Jones 15–4, 15–10 Winner 1976 Scottish Open Gillian Gilks Margaret Lockwood Nora Gardner 15–5, 15–2 Winner 1976 German Open Gillian Gilks Margaret Lockwood Jane Webster 15–11, 15–9 Winner 1976 All England Open Gillian Gilks Margaret Lockwood Nora Gardner 15–10, 15–10 Winner 1976 Dutch Open Gillian Gilks Marjan Luesken Joke van Beusekom 15–4, 15–5 Winner

Mixed doubles Year Tournament Partner Opponent Score Result 1968 Scottish Open Tony Jordan Robert McCoig Muriel Ferguson 15–8, 17–15 Winner 1968 German Open Tony Jordan Per Walsøe Pernille Mølgaard Hansen 15–10, 18–17 Winner 1968 All England Open Tony Jordan Robert McCoig Muriel Ferguson 15–6, 15–6 Winner 1969 German Open Tony Jordan Per Walsøe Pernille Mølgaard Hansen 15–11, 13–15, 15–10 Winner 1969 All England Open Tony Jordan Roger Mills Gillian Perrin 15–9, 5–15, 12–15 Runner-up 1969 South African Championships Tony Jordan Derek Talbot Gillian Perrin 10–15, 13–15 Runner-up 1969 Scottish Open Roger Mills Robert McCoig Muriel Ferguson 15–4, 15–7 Winner 1969 Irish Open Tony Jordan Roger Mills Gillian Perrin 15–14, 15–13 Winner 1970 Canadian Open Ippei Kojima Paul Whetnall Margaret Boxall 12–15, 15–5, 15–13 Winner 1974 All England Open David Eddy Derek Talbot Gillian Gilks 15–6, 15–6 Winner 1975 Dutch Open David Eddy Wolfgang Bochow Marieluise Zizmann 15–8, 15–3 Winner 1975 South African Championships Paul Whetnall Ray Stevens Barbara Giles 6–15, 15–10, 15–3 Winner 1975 Swedish Open Elliot Stuart Mike Tredgett Nora Gardner 12–15, 6–15 Runner-up 1976 U.S. Open David Eddy Thomas Kihlström Pam Brady 15–6, 10–15, 15–12 Winner