- Sarah Fitz-Gerald
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Sarah Fitz-Gerald Country Australia Born 1 December 1968
Melbourne, AustraliaTurned Pro 1988 Retired 2003 Coached by Roger Flynn &
Mike JohnsonRacquet used Dunlop Women's singles Highest ranking 1 (November 1996) Medal recordCompetitor for Australia Women's Squash Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester Singles Last updated on: 17 May 2009. Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald AM (born 1 December 1968) is an Australian women's squash player who is perhaps the greatest of the 1990s, collecting five World Open titles – 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002. She ranks alongside Susan Devoy, Michelle Martin and Heather McKay as the sport's greatest players.
Contents
Career
Sarah was born in Melbourne, Australia, a hotspot for squash talent. In 1987 she won the World Junior Championship and was the Australian Junior Female Athlete of the Year. 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, Sarah 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.
Career statistics
Listed below
Professional Tour Titles (66)
All Results for Sarah Fitzgerald in WISPA World's Tour tournament[1][2][3]
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
- List of WISPA number 1 ranked players
- Official Women's Squash World Ranking
References
- ^ SquashInfo: Sarah Fitz-Gerald
- ^ Women's International Squash Players Association
- ^ "WISPA titles earned by Sarah Fitzgerald.". Squashtalk.com. http://www.squashtalk.com/html/history/sarahfitz1.htm. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
External links
Sporting positions Preceded by
Michelle Martin
Leilani Rorani
Natalie GraingerWorld No. 1
November 1996 - October 1998
October 2001 - October 2002
December 2002 - February 2003Succeeded by
Michelle Martin
Carol Owens
Carol OwensWorld No. 1s in Women's squash Michelle Martin | Sarah Fitz-Gerald | Cassie Jackman | Leilani Rorani | Carol Owens | Rachael Grinham | Vanessa Atkinson | Nicol DavidList of British Open Women's Singles champions (1922) Joyce Cave · (1923) Silvia Huntsman · (1924) Nancy Cave · (1925) Joyce Cave · (1926–1927) Cecily Fenwick · (1928) Joyce Cave · (1929–1930) Nancy Cave · (1931) Cecily Fenwick · (1932–1934) Susan Noel · (1935–1939) Margot Lumb · (1947–1949) Joan Curry · (1950–1959) Janet Morgan · (1960) Sheila Macintosh · (1961) Fran Marshall · (1962–1977) Heather McKay · (1978) Sue Newman · (1979) Barbara Wall · (1980–1983) Vicki Cardwell · (1984–1990) Susan Devoy · (1991) Lisa Opie · (1992) Susan Devoy · (1993–1998) Michelle Martin · (1999–2000) Leilani Joyce · (2001–2002) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (2003–2004) Rachael Grinham · (2005–2006) Nicol David · (2007) Rachael Grinham · (2008) Nicol David · (2009) Rachael GrinhamList of Squash World Open women's champions (1976) Heather McKay · (1979) Heather McKay · (1981) Rhonda Thorne · (1983) Vicki Cardwell · (1985) Susan Devoy · (1987) Susan Devoy · (1989) Martine Le Moignan · (1990) Susan Devoy · (1992) Susan Devoy · (1993) Michelle Martin · (1994) Michelle Martin · (1995) Michelle Martin · (1996) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (1997) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (1998) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (1999) Cassie Campion · (2000) Carol Owens · (2001) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (2002) Sarah Fitz-Gerald · (2003) Carol Owens · (2004) Vanessa Atkinson · (2005) Nicol David · (2006) Nicol David · (2007) Rachael Grinham · (2008) Nicol David · (2009) Nicol David · (2010) Nicol David · (2011) Nicol DavidCategories:- 1968 births
- Living people
- Australian squash players
- Members of the Order of Australia
- Sportswomen from Melbourne
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
- People educated at MacGregor State High School
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