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.

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

(1968-12-01) 1 December 1968
Melbourne, Australia
Turned Pro1988
Retired2003
Coached byRoger Flynn &
Mike Johnson
Racquet usedDunlop
Women's singles
Highest ranking1 (November 1996)
Medal record
Women's squash
Representing  Australia
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1996 Petaling Jaya Singles
Gold medal – first place 1997 Sydney Singles
Gold medal – first place 1998 Stuttgart Singles
Gold medal – first place 2001 Melbourne Singles
Gold medal – first place 2002 Doha Singles
Silver medal – second place 1995 Hong Kong Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Warmond Singles
Bronze medal – third place 2000 Edinburgh Singles
World Team Championships
Silver medal – second place 1987 Auckland Team
Gold medal – first place 1992 Vancouver Team
Gold medal – first place 1994 Guernsey Team
Gold medal – first place 1996 Petaling Jaya Team
Gold medal – first place 1998 Stuttgart Team
Silver medal – second place 2000 Sheffield Team
Gold medal – first place 2002 Odense Team
Gold medal – first place 2004 Amsterdam Team
Gold medal – first place 2010 Palmerston Team
World Doubles Championships
Silver medal – second place2006 MelbourneDoubles
World Games
Gold medal – first place 1997 Lahti Singles
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal – first place 2002 Manchester Singles
Silver medal – second place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Singles
Bronze medal – third place 1998 Kuala Lumpur Doubles
Last updated: 12 April 2022.

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.[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

Professional Tour Titles (60)

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

See also

References
  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.
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