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.[citation needed]

She was elected to the Badminton Hall of Fame in 2009.[citation needed]

Major achievements

Commonwealth Games

Women's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1970Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, ScotlandEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Julie Rickard England Gillian Perrin15–9, 15–2Gold
1974Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New ZealandEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Margaret Beck England Gillian Perrin7–15, 5–15Silver

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1970Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, ScotlandEngland David EddyEngland Paul Whetnall England Julie Rickard15–8, 12–15, 15–12Bronze
1974Cowles Stadium, Christchurch, New ZealandEngland Elliot StuartNew Zealand Richard Purser New Zealand Alison Branfield15–10, 15–4Bronze

European Championships

Women's singles

YearVenueOpponentScoreResult
1976Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, IrelandEngland Gillian Gilks5–11, 2–11Bronze

Women's doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1968Ruhrlandhalle, Bochum, West GermanyEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Angela Bairstow England Gillian Perrin15–7, 18–13Gold
1970Afan Lido, Port Talbot, WalesEngland Margaret BoxallGermany Irmgard Latz Germany Marieluise Wackerow2–3 retiredGold
1974Stadthalle, Vienna, AustriaEngland Nora GardnerEngland Margaret Beck England Gillian Gilks10–15, 13–15Silver
1976Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, IrelandEngland Gillian GilksEngland Margaret Beck England Nora Gardner15–4, 15–8Gold

Mixed doubles

YearVenuePartnerOpponentScoreResult
1968Ruhrlandhalle, Bochum, West GermanyEngland Tony JordanEngland Roger Mills England Gillian Perrin15–13, 15–9Gold
1970Afan Lido, Port Talbot, WalesEngland David EddyEngland Derek Talbot England Gillian Perrin17–16, 17–16Gold
1974Stadthalle, Vienna, AustriaEngland Elliot StuartEngland Derek Talbot England Gillian Gilks15–5, 3–15, 3–15Silver

International tournaments (34 titles, 9 runners-up)

Women's singles

YearTournamentOpponentScoreResult
1969Scottish OpenEngland Margaret Boxall11–8, 4–11, 10–12Runner-up
1970Dutch OpenDenmark Lonny Bostofte11–6, 6–11, 11–6Winner
1975South African ChampionshipsSouth Africa Deirdre Tyghe7–11, 11–2, 8–11Runner-up

Women's doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1965German OpenEngland Veronica BrockEngland Brenda Parr England Ursula Smith5–15, 16–17Runner-up
1967Irish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Gillian Perrin England Iris Rogers15–8, 15–7Winner
1968Scottish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Jenny Horton England Ursula Smith9–15, 9–15Runner-up
1968Dutch OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Angela Bairstow New Zealand Alison Glenie5–15, 15–0, 15–9Winner
1968German OpenEngland Margaret BoxallWest Germany Irmgard Latz West Germany Marieluise Wackerow15–6, 15–7Winner
1969All England OpenEngland Margaret BoxallJapan Hiroe Amano Japan Tomoko Takahashi15–11, 15–11Winner
1969Irish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallRepublic of Ireland Mary Bryan Republic of Ireland Yvonne Kelly15–3, 15–10Winner
1969South African ChampionshipsEngland Margaret BoxallSouth Africa Wilma Prade South Africa Ann Smith15–6, 15–4Winner
1969Swedish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallDenmark Anne Flindt Denmark Pernille Mølgaard Hansen4–15, 15–5, 15–10Winner
1969Scottish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallRepublic of Ireland Mary Bryan Republic of Ireland Yvonne Kelly15–4, 15–6Winner
1970Belgian InternationalEngland Margaret BoxallDenmark Imre Rietveld Nielsen Denmark Anne Berglund15–4, 15–6Winner
1970All England OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Gillian Perrin England Julie Rickard15–6, 8–15, 15–9Winner
1970Canadian OpenEngland Margaret BoxallUnited States Tyna Barinaga United States Caroline Hein15–5, 5–15, 15–13Winner
1970U.S. OpenEngland Margaret BoxallJapan Machiko Aizawa Japan Etsuko Takenaka10–15, 11–15Runner-up
1970Dutch OpenEngland Margaret BoxallGermany Irmgard Latz Germany Marieluise Wackerow18–15, 12–15, 15–1Winner
1970Scottish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Margaret Beck England Gillian Perrin15–2, 15–18, 15–5Winner
1974All England OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Margaret Beck England Gillian Gilks5–15, 14–18Runner-up
1974Scottish OpenEngland Margaret BoxallEngland Margaret Beck England Gillian Gilks15–9, 10–15, 15–10Winner
1975Dutch OpenEngland Nora GardnerNetherlands Marjan Luesken Netherlands Joke van Beusekom15–3, 15–5Winner
1975South African ChampionshipsEngland Barbara GilesSouth Africa Deirdre Tyghe South Africa Barbara Lord12–15, 15–7, 18–17Winner
1975Swedish OpenEngland Barbara GilesEngland Nora Gardner England Gillian Gilks15–9, 4–15, 15–11Winner
1976U.S. OpenEngland Gillian GilksUnited States Pam Bristol Brady United States Rosine Jones15–4, 15–10Winner
1976Scottish OpenEngland Gillian GilksEngland Margaret Lockwood England Nora Gardner15–5, 15–2Winner
1976German OpenEngland Gillian GilksEngland Margaret Lockwood England Jane Webster15–11, 15–9Winner
1976All England OpenEngland Gillian GilksEngland Margaret Lockwood England Nora Gardner15–10, 15–10Winner
1976Dutch OpenEngland Gillian GilksNetherlands Marjan Luesken Netherlands Joke van Beusekom15–4, 15–5Winner

Mixed doubles

YearTournamentPartnerOpponentScoreResult
1968Scottish OpenEngland Tony JordanScotland Robert McCoig Scotland Muriel Ferguson15–8, 17–15Winner
1968German OpenEngland Tony JordanDenmark Per Walsøe Denmark Pernille Mølgaard Hansen15–10, 18–17Winner
1968All England OpenEngland Tony JordanScotland Robert McCoig Scotland Muriel Ferguson15–6, 15–6Winner
1969German OpenEngland Tony JordanDenmark Per Walsøe Denmark Pernille Mølgaard Hansen15–11, 13–15, 15–10Winner
1969All England OpenEngland Tony JordanEngland Roger Mills England Gillian Perrin15–9, 5–15, 12–15Runner-up
1969South African ChampionshipsEngland Tony JordanEngland Derek Talbot England Gillian Perrin10–15, 13–15Runner-up
1969Scottish OpenEngland Roger MillsScotland Robert McCoig Scotland Muriel Ferguson15–4, 15–7Winner
1969Irish OpenEngland Tony JordanEngland Roger Mills England Gillian Perrin15–14, 15–13Winner
1970Canadian OpenJapan Ippei KojimaEngland Paul Whetnall England Margaret Boxall12–15, 15–5, 15–13Winner
1974All England OpenEngland David EddyEngland Derek Talbot England Gillian Gilks15–6, 15–6Winner
1975Dutch OpenEngland David EddyGermany Wolfgang Bochow Germany Marieluise Zizmann15–8, 15–3Winner
1975South African ChampionshipsEngland Paul WhetnallEngland Ray Stevens England Barbara Giles6–15, 15–10, 15–3Winner
1975Swedish OpenEngland Elliot StuartEngland Mike Tredgett England Nora Gardner12–15, 6–15Runner-up
1976U.S. OpenEngland David EddySweden Thomas Kihlström United States Pam Brady15–6, 10–15, 15–12Winner