Ralph Nichols

For the American football player and coach, see Ralph Nichols (American football).

Ralph Nichols
Ralph Nichols in 1933
Personal information
Born(1910-08-12)12 August 1910
Islington
Died27 May 2001(2001-05-27) (aged 90)
Sport
Country England
SportBadminton
HandednessRight

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).[1] 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.[2][3]

Nichols was included in the Badminton Hall of Fame in 1997.[4]

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

Rank Event Date Venue
1 Men's singles 1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938 All England Open
Men's doubles 1936, 1937, 1938
Mixed doubles 1939
1 Men's singles 1937, 1939 Scottish Open
Men's doubles 1937, 1947, 1950
Mixed doubles 1947
1 Men's singles 1936 Irish Championships
Men's doubles 1932
Mixed doubles 1947
1 Men's doubles 1939 Denmark Open
Mixed doubles 1939
1 Men's singles 1935 French Open
Men's doubles 1935, 1954
Mixed doubles 1935, 1954
1 Men's doubles 1929 Welsh Open
Mixed doubles 1931

References

  1. ^ "Ralph Nichols". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Holdings Limited. 9 June 2001. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  2. ^ Guillain, J.Y. Badminton : An Illustrated History - From ancient pastime to Olympic sport. Editions Publibook. ISBN 978-2-7483-8108-5.
  3. ^ "UK, Outward Passenger Lists, Liverpool 1930 November". Ancestry UK.
  4. ^ "Badminton Icon: Ralph Nichols". bwfbadminton.com. Badminton World Federation. 27 September 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
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