Sarah Fitz-Gerald
Encyclopedia
Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald AM
(born 1 December 1968) is an Australia
n 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.
, 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.
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(born 1 December 1968) is an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n women's squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
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
Susan Devoy
Dame Susan Elizabeth Anne Devoy, DNZM, CBE is a New Zealand squash player who dominated the sport in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She won the World Open on four occasions.-Playing career:...
, Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin is a former professional squash player from Australia who was one of the game's leading players in the 1990s. During her career, she won three World Open titles and six British Open titles...
and Heather McKay
Heather McKay
Heather Pamela McKay AM MBE is a retired Australian squash player, who is considered by many to be the greatest female player in the history of the game, and possibly also Australia's greatest-ever sportswoman...
as the sport's greatest players.
Career
Sarah was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, 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
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
's Cassie Jackman
Cassie Campion
Cassie Jackman is a former English squash player who won the World Open in 1999. She has been England's leading player throughout much of the 1990s and early 21st century...
in the World Open Final. The next two years she beat the resurgent Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin is a former professional squash player from Australia who was one of the game's leading players in the 1990s. During her career, she won three World Open titles and six British Open titles...
in successive finals.
The next two years did not bring the same level of success, owing largely to knee surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. In 2000 she lost an epic semi-final against Carol Owens
Carol Owens
Carol Owens is a New Zealand-based squash player who won the World Open in 2000 and 2003.Owens was born in Melbourne, Australia, but she changed her nationality when she moved to Auckland, New Zealand. A right-hander, she made her competitive debut in 1990 in the Swiss Open where she finished 17th...
. However, she came back in 2001 to beat New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Leilani Joyce
Leilani Joyce
Leilani Joyce is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from New Zealand. During her career, she won the British Open in 1999 and 2000, and finished runner-up at the World Open in 2000 and 2001....
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
2002 Commonwealth Games
The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
In January 2004, Sarah was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
(AM) for her achievements and services to women's squash, and the promotion of sport
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
and a healthy lifestyle. She was Chairwoman and President of the Women's International Squash Players Association
Women's International Squash Players Association
The Women's International Squash Players Association is an organization for female squash professionals. It is responsible for running the women's professional tour and the women's world rankings...
from 1991 to 2002.
Professional Tour Titles (66)
All Results for Sarah Fitzgerald in WISPA World's Tour tournamentEWLINE
|
EWLINE
|
| 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 OpieLisa Opie Lisa Opie OBE is a retired British squash player, who was one of the game's leading woman players in the 1980s and early-1990s. Her biggest success was winning the British Open in 1991, and until the rise of Cassie Campion she was England's number 1 player.Born and raised in Guernsey, she was... |
(3–0) |
| 3. | 28 June 1992 | Japan Open | Lisa Opie |
(3–0) |
| 4. | 26 July 1992 | ACT Open | Robyn Lambourne Robyn Lambourne Robyn Lambourne was a successful female squash player who ended her career shortly after 1992. In 1991, she was the number 2 player in the world. She was brought up in Australia.- References :... |
(3–0) |
| 5. | 25 July 1993 | ACT Open | Carol Owens Carol Owens Carol Owens is a New Zealand-based squash player who won the World Open in 2000 and 2003.Owens was born in Melbourne, Australia, but she changed her nationality when she moved to Auckland, New Zealand. A right-hander, she made her competitive debut in 1990 in the Swiss Open where she finished 17th... |
15–8, 9–15, 15–13, 15–7 |
| 6. | 10 July 1994 | Adelaide Open | Vicki Cardwell Vicki Cardwell Vicki Cardwell BEM is a former World No. 1 squash player from Australia. She was one of the leading players on the international squash circuit from the late-1970s through to the mid-1990s... |
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 Liz Irving Liz Irving is a squash coach and former professional squash player from Australia.Irving was runner-up to her fellow Australian player Michelle Martin at the World Open in 1993. She was also a three-time finalist at the British Open, losing the final to New Zealand's Susan Devoy in 1988, and to... |
(3–0) |
| 10. | 10 September 1995 | JSM Supersquash | Michelle Martin Michelle Martin Michelle Martin is a former professional squash player from Australia who was one of the game's leading players in the 1990s. During her career, she won three World Open titles and six British Open titles... |
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 Suzanne Horner Suzanne Horner is a former professional squash player from England. She was runner-up at the British Open in 1990 and 1993. In 1994, she captured the US Open title and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2. She won the British National Squash Championships in 1994 and 1996... |
(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 Sue Wright Sue Wright is a former professional squash player from England. She was runner-up at the British Open in 1991 and 2000, and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 3 in 1998. She won the British National Championship title four times in 1992, 1997, 1998 and 2001. As a junior player, 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 Stephanie Brind Stephanie Brind, is a professional squash player who represented England. She is a right-handed squash player and her former coach is Paul Carter. She reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 4 in November 2001.... |
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 Suzanne Horner Suzanne Horner is a former professional squash player from England. She was runner-up at the British Open in 1990 and 1993. In 1994, she captured the US Open title and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 2. She won the British National Squash Championships in 1994 and 1996... |
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 Rachael Grinham Rachael Margaret Grinham is a professional squash player from Australia. She won the World Open in 2007, and the British Open in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009. She reached the World No... |
9–7, 9–6, 9–2 |
| 38. | 24 September 2000 | Singapore Open |  Claire NitchClaire Nitch Claire Nitch is a squash player from South Africa.Nitch reached a career-high world ranking of World No. 9 in 1997. At the 1998 Commonwealth Games, she won a Bronze Medal in the women's doubles .Nitch has won the South African national squash title six times... |
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 JoyceLeilani Joyce Leilani Joyce is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from New Zealand. During her career, she won the British Open in 1999 and 2000, and finished runner-up at the World Open in 2000 and 2001.... |
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 Cassie Campion Cassie Jackman is a former English squash player who won the World Open in 1999. She has been England's leading player throughout much of the 1990s and early 21st century... |
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 Tania Bailey Tania Bailey is a professional squash player from England.As a junior player, Bailey won the World Junior Championship in 1997 and captained the England team to World and European junior team titles... |
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 Linda Elriani Linda Elriani is a squash coach and former professional squash player from England.... |
10–8, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8 |
| 58. | 2 November 2002 | World Open (5) |  Natalie GraingerNatalie Grainger Natalie Grainger , also known for a period by her former married name Natalie Pohrer, is a professional female squash player.... |
10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7 |
| 59. | 22 August 2004 | Victorian Open | Louise Crome Louise Crome Louise Crome is a professional squash player from New Zealand.In 2004, Crome finished runner-up in the women's doubles event at the World Doubles Squash Championships, partnering Lara Petera. Crome graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Commerce in Information Systems and a... |
9–1, 9–4, 9–5 |
| 60. | 13 May 2007 | Top End Open | Peta Hughes |
9–1, 9–3, 9–0 |