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

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1932All England OpenEngland Raymond M. White5–15, 15–11, 18–16Winner
1934All England OpenEngland Thomas P. Dick15–11, 15–8Winner
1935All England OpenEngland Raymond M. White10–15, 7–15Runner-up
1935French OpenRepublic of Ireland Ian Maconachie15–8, 16–18, 15–10Winner
1936Irish OpenRepublic of Ireland James Rankin15–11, 15–7Winner
1936All England OpenEngland Raymond M. White18–16, 17–18, 15–10Winner
1937Scottish OpenEngland Thomas P. Dick13–15, 15–14, 15–11Winner
1937All England OpenEngland Thomas P. Dick15–8, 15–7Winner
1938All England OpenDenmark Jesper Bie15–4, 15–5Winner
1939Scottish OpenEngland Maurice Field15–9, 15–17, 15–7Winner
1939All England OpenDenmark Tage Madsen15–10, 13–18, 7–15Runner-up
1939Denmark OpenDenmark Tage Madsen10–15, 9–15Runner-up
1947Scottish OpenEngland Noel B. Radford8–15, 16–18Runner-up

Men's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1929Welsh InternationalEngland Donald C. HumeRepublic of Ireland Arthur Hamilton Republic of Ireland Willoughby Hamilton15–12, 15–7Winner
1931Welsh InternationalEngland Leslie NicholsRepublic of Ireland Arthur Hamilton Republic of Ireland Willoughby Hamilton15–8, 12–15, 2–15Runner-up
1932Irish OpenEngland Donald C. HumeEngland Thomas P. Dick England Raymond M. White15–11, 8–15, 15–2Winner
1932All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White15–14, 16–18, 4–15Runner-up
1934Irish OpenEngland Donald C. HumeRepublic of Ireland Ian Maconachie Republic of Ireland Willoughby Hamilton9–15, 15–12, 5–15Runner-up
1934All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White12–15, 15–12, 7–15Runner-up
1935All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White12–15, 13–15Runner-up
1935French OpenEngland Geoffrey J. FishScotland F. L. Treasure England Alan Titherley15–2, 15–18, 15–9Winner
1936All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White15–7, 15–2Winner
1937Scottish OpenRepublic of Ireland Ian MaconachieEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White8–15, 15–9, 15–7Winner
1937All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsEngland Donald C. Hume England Raymond M. White15–6, 18–14Winner
1938All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsRepublic of Ireland Ian Maconachie England Raymond M. White15–12, 7–15, 15–9Winner
1939All England OpenEngland Leslie NicholsRepublic of Ireland Thomas Boyle Republic of Ireland James Rankin4–15, 3–15Runner-up
1939Denmark OpenEngland Raymond M. WhiteDenmark Carl Frøhlke Denmark Tage Madsen15–6, 15–3Winner
1947Scottish OpenRepublic of Ireland Ian MaconachieEngland Noel B. Radford Scotland W. F. G. Normand15–6, 15–4Winner
1949French OpenEngland Geoffrey J. FishMalaysia Foo Sun Lau Malaysia Yat Sun Lau3–15, 12–15Runner-up
1950Scottish OpenEngland Barron RentonEngland Warwick Shute England Tom Wingfield15–4, 15–7Winner
1954French OpenEngland Geoffrey J. FishFrance Pierre Lenoir France Ghislain Vasseur15–6, 15–6Winner

Mixed doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1931Welsh InternationalEngland Nora CoopEngland Leslie Nichols England Hazel Hogarth15–8, 18–15Winner
1932Welsh InternationalEngland Nora CoopEngland Thomas P. Dick England Hazel Hogarth3–15, 15–1, 12–15Runner-up
1935French OpenEngland Diana DovetonEngland Geoffrey J. Fish England Betty Uber15–11, 15–10Winner
1937All England OpenScotland J. W. StewartRepublic of Ireland Ian Maconachie England Thelma Kingsbury11–15, 12–15Runner-up
1938All England OpenEngland Bessie StaplesEngland Raymond M. White England Betty Uber10–15, 9–15Runner-up
1939All England OpenEngland Bessie StaplesRepublic of Ireland James Rankin Republic of Ireland Mavis Macnaughton15–10, 6–15, 15–8Winner
1939Denmark OpenEngland Bessie StaplesEngland Raymond M. White England Diana Doveton17–14, 15–7Winner
1947Scottish OpenEngland Bessie ShearlawScotland J. S. Millar Scotland Elizabeth Armstrong15–7, 15–5Winner
1947Irish OpenEngland Bessie ShearlawRepublic of Ireland Thomas Boyle Republic of Ireland W. Swann15–8, 15–3Winner
1949French OpenEngland Mavis HendersonMalaysia David Choong Denmark Anne Lehmeier12–15, 11–15Runner-up
1954French OpenEngland Elisabeth O'BeirneFrance Henri Pellizza France Noëlle Ailloud15–4, 15–8Winner

Summary

RankEventDateVenue
1Men's singles1932, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938All England Open
Men's doubles1936, 1937, 1938
Mixed doubles1939
1Men's singles1937, 1939Scottish Open
Men's doubles1937, 1947, 1950
Mixed doubles1947
1Men's singles1936Irish Championships
Men's doubles1932
Mixed doubles1947
1Men's doubles1939Denmark Open
Mixed doubles1939
1Men's singles1935French Open
Men's doubles1935, 1954
Mixed doubles1935, 1954
1Men's doubles1929Welsh Open
Mixed doubles1931
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