Sarah Fitz-Gerald

Summary

Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald AM (born 1 December 1968) is an Australian former professional squash player who won five World Open titles – 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002. She ranks alongside Janet Morgan, Nicol David, Susan Devoy, Michelle Martin and Heather McKay as the sport's greatest female players of all time.

Sarah Fitz-Gerald
Fitz-Gerald in 2015
Country Australia
Born
Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald

(1968-12-01) 1 December 1968 (age 55)
Turned Pro1988
Retired2003
Coached byRoger Flynn &
Mike Johnson
Racquet usedDunlop
Women's singles
Highest ranking1 (November 1996)
Last updated: 12 April 2022.

Career edit

Fitz-Gerald was born in Melbourne, Australia, a hotspot for squash talent. In 1987, she won the female World Junior Championship and was the Australian Junior Female Athlete of the Year. It was also during this year that she represented Australia at the 1987 Women's World Team Squash Championships finishing runner-up to England.[1] In 1992 she was selected once again to represent Australia in the 1992 Women's World Team Squash Championships and this time Australia became the world champions. Remarkably Fitzgerald would go on to win a total of seven World Team Championships.

She won numerous titles in the early 1990s, but 1996 proved to be her breakthrough year. She beat England's Cassie Jackman in the World Open Final. The next two years she beat the resurgent Michelle Martin in successive finals.

The next two years did not bring the same level of success, owing largely to knee surgery. In 2000, she lost an epic semi-final against Carol Owens. However, she came back in 2001 to beat New Zealand's Leilani Joyce emphatically 9–0, 9–3, 9–2.

2002 saw her win her last World Open, beating Natalie Pohrer 10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7. She also won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.

In January 2004, Fitz-Gerald was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for her achievements and services to women's squash, and the promotion of sport and a healthy lifestyle. She was Chairwoman and President of the Women's International Squash Players Association from 1991 to 2002. In 2010, she was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.[2]

In 2010, she came out of retirement to be part of the Australian team that won the gold medal at the 2010 Women's World Team Squash Championships.[3]

In 2018, she won her fourth World Masters title.

Career statistics edit

Professional Tour Titles (60) edit

All Results for Sarah Fitzgerald in WISPA World's Tour tournament[4][5][6]

Legend
WISPA Platinum Series (2)
WISPA Gold Series (9)
WISPA Silver Series (14)
WISPA Tour Series (35)
Titles by Major Tournaments
World Open (5)
British Open (2)
Hong Kong Open (0)
Qatar Classic (1)
No. Date Tournament Opponent in Final Score in Final
1. 13 June 1989 Adelaide Open   Sharon Bradey Unknown
2. 24 November 1991 Danish Open   Lisa Opie (3–0)
3. 28 June 1992 Japan Open   Lisa Opie (3–0)
4. 26 July 1992 ACT Open   Robyn Lambourne (3–0)
5. 25 July 1993 ACT Open   Carol Owens 15–8, 9–15, 15–13, 15–7
6. 10 July 1994 Adelaide Open   Vicki Cardwell 15–13, 15–9, 15–8
7. 18 June 1995 South Australia Open   Vicki Cardwell (3–0)
8. 22 July 1995 Victorian Open   Meeghan Bell (3–0)
9. 22 July 1995 Queensland Open   Liz Irving (3–0)
10. 10 September 1995 JSM Supersquash   Michelle Martin 9–6, 8–10, 2–9, 9–6, 9–4
11. 16 September 1995 Jain International   Michelle Martin (3–0)
12. 17 March 1996 Abshot Open   Suzanne Horner (3–0)
13. 28 July 1996 Victorian Open   Carol Owens (3–0)
14. 17 August 1996 Singapore Open   Michelle Martin Walkover
15. 13 October 1996 World Open   Cassie Jackman 9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
16. 10 November 1996 German Masters   Michelle Martin 9–6, 3–9, 9–4, 9–3
17. 23 November 1996 Monte Carlo Classic   Cassie Jackman 9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
18. 11 May 1997 Las Vegas Open   Liz Irving 9–3, 9–1, 9–4
19. 17 June 1997 Al-Ahram International   Michelle Martin 9–3, 9–3, 9–0
20. 22 June 1997 Munich Open   Michelle Martin 9–7, 9–7, 9–2
21. 17 August 1997 World Games   Sabine Schoene 9–2, 9–6, 9–7
22. 24 August 1997 Singapore Open   Michelle Martin 9–1, 5–9, 9–1, 9–7
23. 30 August 1997 Malaysian Open   Michelle Martin 9–2, 0–9, 9–2, 8–10, 9–7
24. 19 October 1997 World Open (2)   Michelle Martin 9–5, 5–9, 6–9, 9–2, 9–3
25. 26 October 1997 Australian Open   Michelle Martin 5–9, 9–4, 9–4, 9–0
26. 3 November 1997 Carol Weymuller Open   Michelle Martin 9–3, 7–9, 9–0, 3–9, 10–8
27. 17 November 1997 Hartford Open   Cassie Jackman 9–4, 9–7, 9–3
28. 29 November 1997 Monte Carlo Classic   Sue Wright 9–1, 4–9, 9–1, 9–4
29. 20 April 1998 Munich Open   Michelle Martin 9–2, 9–0, 10–8
30. 10 May 1998 Las Vegas Open   Stephanie Brind 9–0, 9–3, 9–3
31. 9 August 1998 Victorian Open   Carol Owens (3–1)
32. 8 November 1998 World Open (3)   Michelle Martin 10–8, 9–7, 2–9, 3–9, 10–9
33. 16 January 2000 Glidden Open   Suzanne Horner 9–1, 9–0, 9–7
34. 23 January 2000 Greenwich Open   Suzanne Horner 9–6, 9–0, 4–9, 9–7
35. 5 February 2000 Rosebowl Classic   Sue Wright 9–3, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
36. 16 April 2000 Munich Open   Carol Owens 9–7, 9–5, 9–0
37. 30 April 2000 Mexican Open   Rachael Grinham 9–7, 9–6, 9–2
38. 24 September 2000 Singapore Open   Claire Nitch 9–1, 9–1, 9–4
39. 8 December 2000 USC Classic   Carol Owens 3–9, 9–3, 9–6, 9–1
40. 28 January 2001 Greenwich Open   Linda Charman-Smith 9–5, 9–2, 9–4
41. 11 March 2001 Munich Open   Leilani Joyce 9–1, 9–2, 9–6
42. 19 April 2001 World Grand Prix Finals   Leilani Joyce 9–6, 9–5, 9–1
43. 12 May 2001 San Francisco Challenge   Cassie Campion 7–9, 9–4, 9–5, 9–2
44. 20 May 2001 Seattle Open   Carol Owens 9–6, 9–7, 9–2
45. 10 June 2001 British Open   Carol Owens 10–9, 9–0, 9–2
46. 4 September 2001 Heliopolis Open   Cassie Campion 9–3, 9–1, 9–1
47. 8 October 2001 Qatar Classic   Leilani Joyce 9–0, 9–2, 9–1
48. 19 October 2001 World Open (4)   Leilani Joyce 9–0, 9–3, 9–2
49. 20 January 2002 Hartford Open   Carol Owens 2–9, 9–4, 9–7, 9–1
50. 1 February 2002 Tournament of Champions   Carol Owens 9–4, 9–0, 9–3
51. 15 April 2002 British Open (2)   Tania Bailey 9–3, 9–0, 9–0
52. 28 April 2002 World Grand Prix Finals   Carol Owens 6–9, 5–9, 9–5, 9–7, 9–4
53. 12 May 2002 San Francisco Challenge   Tania Bailey 9–1, 7–9, 9–1, 9–2
54. 19 May 2002 Las Vegas Open   Vanessa Atkinson 9–4, 9–2, 9–0
55. 26 May 2002 Seattle Open   Carol Owens 9–7, 9–7, 9–1
56. 30 June 2002 Australian Open   Laura Keating 9–0, 9–2, 9–0
57. 14 September 2002 French Open   Linda Elriani 10–8, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
58. 2 November 2002 World Open (5)   Natalie Grainger 10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7
59. 22 August 2004 Victorian Open   Louise Crome 9–1, 9–4, 9–5
60. 13 May 2007 Top End Open   Peta Hughes 9–1, 9–3, 9–0

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Draw and Results" (PDF). Squash New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2016.
  2. ^ "Sarah Fitz-Gerald". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Australia Reclaim World Team Title in New Zealand". World Squash. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  4. ^ SquashInfo: Sarah Fitz-Gerald
  5. ^ Women's International Squash Players Association Archived 21 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ "WISPA titles earned by Sarah Fitzgerald". Squashtalk.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.

External links edit

  • Official website
Sporting positions
Preceded by World No. 1
November 1996 – October 1998
October 2001 – October 2002
December 2002 – February 2003
Succeeded by
Michelle Martin
Carol Owens
Carol Owens