Sarah Fitz-Gerald

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.

Career

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Fitz-Gerald announced her retirement from the Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) world tour in February 2003.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2018, she won her fourth World Masters title.

Career statistics

Professional Tour Titles (60)

All results for Sarah Fitzgerald in WISPA World's Tour tournament<ref>SquashInfo: Sarah Fitz-Gerald</ref><ref>Women's International Squash Players Association Template:Webarchive</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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	Template:Flagicon Sharon Bradey	Unknown
2.	24 November 1991	Danish Open	Template:Flagicon Lisa Opie	(3–0)
3.	28 June 1992	Japan Open	Template:Flagicon Lisa Opie	(3–0)
4.	26 July 1992	ACT Open	Template:Flagicon Robyn Lambourne	(3–0)
5.	25 July 1993	ACT Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	15–8, 9–15, 15–13, 15–7
6.	10 July 1994	Adelaide Open	Template:Flagicon Vicki Cardwell	15–13, 15–9, 15–8
7.	18 June 1995	South Australia Open	Template:Flagicon Vicki Cardwell	(3–0)
8.	22 July 1995	Victorian Open	Template:Flagicon Meeghan Bell	(3–0)
9.	22 July 1995	Queensland Open	Template:Flagicon Liz Irving	(3–0)
10.	10 September 1995	JSM Supersquash	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–6, 8–10, 2–9, 9–6, 9–4
11.	16 September 1995	Jain International	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	(3–0)
12.	17 March 1996	Abshot Open	Template:Flagicon Suzanne Horner	(3–0)
13.	28 July 1996	Victorian Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	(3–0)
14.	17 August 1996	Singapore Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	Walkover
15.	13 October 1996	World Open	Template:Flagicon Cassie Jackman	9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
16.	10 November 1996	German Masters	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–6, 3–9, 9–4, 9–3
17.	23 November 1996	Monte Carlo Classic	Template:Flagicon Cassie Jackman	9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
18.	11 May 1997	Las Vegas Open	Template:Flagicon Liz Irving	9–3, 9–1, 9–4
19.	17 June 1997	Al-Ahram International	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–3, 9–3, 9–0
20.	22 June 1997	Munich Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–7, 9–7, 9–2
21.	17 August 1997	World Games	Template:Flagicon Sabine Schoene	9–2, 9–6, 9–7
22.	24 August 1997	Singapore Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–1, 5–9, 9–1, 9–7
23.	30 August 1997	Malaysian Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–2, 0–9, 9–2, 8–10, 9–7
24.	19 October 1997	World Open (2)	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–5, 5–9, 6–9, 9–2, 9–3
25.	26 October 1997	Australian Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	5–9, 9–4, 9–4, 9–0
26.	3 November 1997	Carol Weymuller Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–3, 7–9, 9–0, 3–9, 10–8
27.	17 November 1997	Hartford Open	Template:Flagicon Cassie Jackman	9–4, 9–7, 9–3
28.	29 November 1997	Monte Carlo Classic	Template:Flagicon Sue Wright	9–1, 4–9, 9–1, 9–4
29.	20 April 1998	Munich Open	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	9–2, 9–0, 10–8
30.	10 May 1998	Las Vegas Open	Template:Flagicon Stephanie Brind	9–0, 9–3, 9–3
31.	9 August 1998	Victorian Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	(3–1)
32.	8 November 1998	World Open (3)	Template:Flagicon Michelle Martin	10–8, 9–7, 2–9, 3–9, 10–9
33.	16 January 2000	Glidden Open	Template:Flagicon Suzanne Horner	9–1, 9–0, 9–7
34.	23 January 2000	Greenwich Open	Template:Flagicon Suzanne Horner	9–6, 9–0, 4–9, 9–7
35.	5 February 2000	Rosebowl Classic	Template:Flagicon Sue Wright	9–3, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
36.	16 April 2000	Munich Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	9–7, 9–5, 9–0
37.	30 April 2000	Mexican Open	Template:Flagicon Rachael Grinham	9–7, 9–6, 9–2
38.	24 September 2000	Singapore Open	Template:Flagicon Claire Nitch	9–1, 9–1, 9–4
39.	8 December 2000	USC Classic	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	3–9, 9–3, 9–6, 9–1
40.	28 January 2001	Greenwich Open	Template:Flagicon Linda Charman-Smith	9–5, 9–2, 9–4
41.	11 March 2001	Munich Open	Template:Flagicon Leilani Joyce	9–1, 9–2, 9–6
42.	19 April 2001	World Grand Prix Finals	Template:Flagicon Leilani Joyce	9–6, 9–5, 9–1
43.	12 May 2001	San Francisco Challenge	Template:Flagicon Cassie Campion	7–9, 9–4, 9–5, 9–2
44.	20 May 2001	Seattle Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	9–6, 9–7, 9–2
45.	10 June 2001	British Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	10–9, 9–0, 9–2
46.	4 September 2001	Heliopolis Open	Template:Flagicon Cassie Campion	9–3, 9–1, 9–1
47.	8 October 2001	Qatar Classic	Template:Flagicon Leilani Joyce	9–0, 9–2, 9–1
48.	19 October 2001	World Open (4)	Template:Flagicon Leilani Joyce	9–0, 9–3, 9–2
49.	20 January 2002	Hartford Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	2–9, 9–4, 9–7, 9–1
50.	1 February 2002	Tournament of Champions	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	9–4, 9–0, 9–3
51.	15 April 2002	British Open (2)	Template:Flagicon Tania Bailey	9–3, 9–0, 9–0
52.	28 April 2002	World Grand Prix Finals	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	6–9, 5–9, 9–5, 9–7, 9–4
53.	12 May 2002	San Francisco Challenge	Template:Flagicon Tania Bailey	9–1, 7–9, 9–1, 9–2
54.	19 May 2002	Las Vegas Open	Template:Flagicon Vanessa Atkinson	9–4, 9–2, 9–0
55.	26 May 2002	Seattle Open	Template:Flagicon Carol Owens	9–7, 9–7, 9–1
56.	30 June 2002	Australian Open	Template:Flagicon Laura Keating	9–0, 9–2, 9–0
57.	14 September 2002	French Open	Template:Flagicon Linda Elriani	10–8, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
58.	2 November 2002	World Open (5)	Template:Flagicon Natalie Grainger	10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7
59.	22 August 2004	Victorian Open	Template:Flagicon Louise Crome	9–1, 9–4, 9–5
60.	13 May 2007	Top End Open	Template:Flagicon Peta Hughes	9–1, 9–3, 9–0

See also

• List of WISPA number 1 ranked players
• Official Women's Squash World Ranking

External links

• Official website Template:Webarchive