Sarah Fitz-Gerald
![]() Fitz-Gerald in 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald 1 December 1968 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Turned Pro | 1988 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Retired | 2003 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coached by | Roger Flynn & Mike Johnson | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Racquet used | Dunlop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Women's singles ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highest ranking | 1 (November 1996) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Last updated: 12 April 2022. |
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
[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]
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No. | Date | Tournament | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 13 June 1989 | Adelaide Open | ![]() |
Unknown |
2. | 24 November 1991 | Danish Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
3. | 28 June 1992 | Japan Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
4. | 26 July 1992 | ACT Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
5. | 25 July 1993 | ACT Open | ![]() |
15–8, 9–15, 15–13, 15–7 |
6. | 10 July 1994 | Adelaide Open | ![]() |
15–13, 15–9, 15–8 |
7. | 18 June 1995 | South Australia Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
8. | 22 July 1995 | Victorian Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
9. | 22 July 1995 | Queensland Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
10. | 10 September 1995 | JSM Supersquash | ![]() |
9–6, 8–10, 2–9, 9–6, 9–4 |
11. | 16 September 1995 | Jain International | ![]() |
(3–0) |
12. | 17 March 1996 | Abshot Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
13. | 28 July 1996 | Victorian Open | ![]() |
(3–0) |
14. | 17 August 1996 | Singapore Open | ![]() |
Walkover |
15. | 13 October 1996 | World Open | ![]() |
9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6 |
16. | 10 November 1996 | German Masters | ![]() |
9–6, 3–9, 9–4, 9–3 |
17. | 23 November 1996 | Monte Carlo Classic | ![]() |
9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6 |
18. | 11 May 1997 | Las Vegas Open | ![]() |
9–3, 9–1, 9–4 |
19. | 17 June 1997 | Al-Ahram International | ![]() |
9–3, 9–3, 9–0 |
20. | 22 June 1997 | Munich Open | ![]() |
9–7, 9–7, 9–2 |
21. | 17 August 1997 | World Games | ![]() |
9–2, 9–6, 9–7 |
22. | 24 August 1997 | Singapore Open | ![]() |
9–1, 5–9, 9–1, 9–7 |
23. | 30 August 1997 | Malaysian Open | ![]() |
9–2, 0–9, 9–2, 8–10, 9–7 |
24. | 19 October 1997 | World Open (2) | ![]() |
9–5, 5–9, 6–9, 9–2, 9–3 |
25. | 26 October 1997 | Australian Open | ![]() |
5–9, 9–4, 9–4, 9–0 |
26. | 3 November 1997 | Carol Weymuller Open | ![]() |
9–3, 7–9, 9–0, 3–9, 10–8 |
27. | 17 November 1997 | Hartford Open | ![]() |
9–4, 9–7, 9–3 |
28. | 29 November 1997 | Monte Carlo Classic | ![]() |
9–1, 4–9, 9–1, 9–4 |
29. | 20 April 1998 | Munich Open | ![]() |
9–2, 9–0, 10–8 |
30. | 10 May 1998 | Las Vegas Open | ![]() |
9–0, 9–3, 9–3 |
31. | 9 August 1998 | Victorian Open | ![]() |
(3–1) |
32. | 8 November 1998 | World Open (3) | ![]() |
10–8, 9–7, 2–9, 3–9, 10–9 |
33. | 16 January 2000 | Glidden Open | ![]() |
9–1, 9–0, 9–7 |
34. | 23 January 2000 | Greenwich Open | ![]() |
9–6, 9–0, 4–9, 9–7 |
35. | 5 February 2000 | Rosebowl Classic | ![]() |
9–3, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8 |
36. | 16 April 2000 | Munich Open | ![]() |
9–7, 9–5, 9–0 |
37. | 30 April 2000 | Mexican Open | ![]() |
9–7, 9–6, 9–2 |
38. | 24 September 2000 | Singapore Open | ![]() |
9–1, 9–1, 9–4 |
39. | 8 December 2000 | USC Classic | ![]() |
3–9, 9–3, 9–6, 9–1 |
40. | 28 January 2001 | Greenwich Open | ![]() |
9–5, 9–2, 9–4 |
41. | 11 March 2001 | Munich Open | ![]() |
9–1, 9–2, 9–6 |
42. | 19 April 2001 | World Grand Prix Finals | ![]() |
9–6, 9–5, 9–1 |
43. | 12 May 2001 | San Francisco Challenge | ![]() |
7–9, 9–4, 9–5, 9–2 |
44. | 20 May 2001 | Seattle Open | ![]() |
9–6, 9–7, 9–2 |
45. | 10 June 2001 | British Open | ![]() |
10–9, 9–0, 9–2 |
46. | 4 September 2001 | Heliopolis Open | ![]() |
9–3, 9–1, 9–1 |
47. | 8 October 2001 | Qatar Classic | ![]() |
9–0, 9–2, 9–1 |
48. | 19 October 2001 | World Open (4) | ![]() |
9–0, 9–3, 9–2 |
49. | 20 January 2002 | Hartford Open | ![]() |
2–9, 9–4, 9–7, 9–1 |
50. | 1 February 2002 | Tournament of Champions | ![]() |
9–4, 9–0, 9–3 |
51. | 15 April 2002 | British Open (2) | ![]() |
9–3, 9–0, 9–0 |
52. | 28 April 2002 | World Grand Prix Finals | ![]() |
6–9, 5–9, 9–5, 9–7, 9–4 |
53. | 12 May 2002 | San Francisco Challenge | ![]() |
9–1, 7–9, 9–1, 9–2 |
54. | 19 May 2002 | Las Vegas Open | ![]() |
9–4, 9–2, 9–0 |
55. | 26 May 2002 | Seattle Open | ![]() |
9–7, 9–7, 9–1 |
56. | 30 June 2002 | Australian Open | ![]() |
9–0, 9–2, 9–0 |
57. | 14 September 2002 | French Open | ![]() |
10–8, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8 |
58. | 2 November 2002 | World Open (5) | ![]() |
10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7 |
59. | 22 August 2004 | Victorian Open | ![]() |
9–1, 9–4, 9–5 |
60. | 13 May 2007 | Top End Open | ![]() |
9–1, 9–3, 9–0 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Draw and Results" (PDF). Squash New Zealand. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2016.
- ^ "Sarah Fitz-Gerald". Sport Australia Hall of Fame. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
- ^ "Australia Reclaim World Team Title in New Zealand". World Squash. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
- ^ SquashInfo: Sarah Fitz-Gerald
- ^ Women's International Squash Players Association Archived 21 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "WISPA titles earned by Sarah Fitzgerald". Squashtalk.com. Retrieved 17 May 2009.
External links
[edit]- 1968 births
- Living people
- Australian female squash players
- Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games bronze medallists for Australia
- Commonwealth Games medallists in squash
- Squash players at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Squash players at the 2002 Commonwealth Games
- World Games gold medalists for Australia
- Medalists at the 1997 World Games
- Members of the Order of Australia
- Sport Australia Hall of Fame inductees
- Sportspeople from Melbourne
- Sportswomen from Victoria (state)
- Medallists at the 1998 Commonwealth Games
- Medallists at the 2002 Commonwealth Games