Sarah Fitz-Gerald


Sarah Elizabeth Fitz-Gerald AM is an Australian women's 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 players.

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. 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 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.
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

No.DateTournamentOpponent in FinalScore in Final
1.13 June 1989Adelaide Open Sharon BradeyUnknown
2.24 November 1991Danish Open Lisa Opie
3.28 June 1992Japan Open Lisa Opie
4.26 July 1992ACT Open Robyn Lambourne
5.25 July 1993ACT Open Carol Owens15–8, 9–15, 15–13, 15–7
6.10 July 1994Adelaide Open Vicki Cardwell15–13, 15–9, 15–8
7.18 June 1995South Australia Open Vicki Cardwell
8.22 July 1995Victorian Open Meeghan Bell
9.22 July 1995Queensland Open Liz Irving
10.10 September 1995JSM Supersquash Michelle Martin9–6, 8–10, 2–9, 9–6, 9–4
11.16 September 1995Jain International Michelle Martin
12.17 March 1996Abshot Open Suzanne Horner
13.28 July 1996Victorian Open Carol Owens
14.17 August 1996Singapore Open Michelle MartinWalkover
15.13 October 1996World Open Cassie Jackman9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
16.10 November 1996German Masters Michelle Martin9–6, 3–9, 9–4, 9–3
17.23 November 1996Monte Carlo Classic Cassie Jackman9–4, 9–2, 4–9, 9–6
18.11 May 1997Las Vegas Open Liz Irving9–3, 9–1, 9–4
19.17 June 1997Al-Ahram International Michelle Martin9–3, 9–3, 9–0
20.22 June 1997Munich Open Michelle Martin9–7, 9–7, 9–2
21.17 August 1997World Games Sabine Schoene9–2, 9–6, 9–7
22.24 August 1997Singapore Open Michelle Martin9–1, 5–9, 9–1, 9–7
23.30 August 1997Malaysian Open Michelle Martin9–2, 0–9, 9–2, 8–10, 9–7
24.19 October 1997World Open Michelle Martin9–5, 5–9, 6–9, 9–2, 9–3
25.26 October 1997Australian Open Michelle Martin5–9, 9–4, 9–4, 9–0
26.3 November 1997Carol Weymuller Open Michelle Martin9–3, 7–9, 9–0, 3–9, 10–8
27.17 November 1997Hartford Open Cassie Jackman9–4, 9–7, 9–3
28.29 November 1997Monte Carlo Classic Sue Wright9–1, 4–9, 9–1, 9–4
29.20 April 1998Munich Open Michelle Martin9–2, 9–0, 10–8
30.10 May 1998Las Vegas Open Stephanie Brind9–0, 9–3, 9–3
31.9 August 1998Victorian Open Carol Owens
32.8 November 1998World Open Michelle Martin10–8, 9–7, 2–9, 3–9, 10–9
33.16 January 2000Glidden Open Suzanne Horner9–1, 9–0, 9–7
34.23 January 2000Greenwich Open Suzanne Horner9–6, 9–0, 4–9, 9–7
35.5 February 2000Rosebowl Classic Sue Wright9–3, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
36.16 April 2000Munich Open Carol Owens9–7, 9–5, 9–0
37.30 April 2000Mexican Open Rachael Grinham9–7, 9–6, 9–2
38.24 September 2000Singapore Open Claire Nitch9–1, 9–1, 9–4
39.8 December 2000USC Classic Carol Owens3–9, 9–3, 9–6, 9–1
40.28 January 2001Greenwich Open Linda Charman-Smith9–5, 9–2, 9–4
41.11 March 2001Munich Open Leilani Joyce9–1, 9–2, 9–6
42.19 April 2001World Grand Prix Finals Leilani Joyce9–6, 9–5, 9–1
43.12 May 2001San Francisco Challenge Cassie Campion7–9, 9–4, 9–5, 9–2
44.20 May 2001Seattle Open Carol Owens9–6, 9–7, 9–2
45.10 June 2001British Open Carol Owens10–9, 9–0, 9–2
46.4 September 2001Heliopolis Open Cassie Campion9–3, 9–1, 9–1
47.8 October 2001Qatar Classic Leilani Joyce9–0, 9–2, 9–1
48.19 October 2001World Open Leilani Joyce9–0, 9–3, 9–2
49.20 January 2002Hartford Open Carol Owens2–9, 9–4, 9–7, 9–1
50.1 February 2002Tournament of Champions Carol Owens9–4, 9–0, 9–3
51.15 April 2002British Open Tania Bailey9–3, 9–0, 9–0
52.28 April 2002World Grand Prix Finals Carol Owens6–9, 5–9, 9–5, 9–7, 9–4
53.12 May 2002San Francisco Challenge Tania Bailey9–1, 7–9, 9–1, 9–2
54.19 May 2002Las Vegas Open Vanessa Atkinson9–4, 9–2, 9–0
55.26 May 2002Seattle Open Carol Owens9–7, 9–7, 9–1
56.30 June 2002Australian Open Laura Keating9–0, 9–2, 9–0
57.14 September 2002French Open Linda Elriani10–8, 5–9, 9–4, 10–8
58.2 November 2002World Open Natalie Grainger10–8, 9–3, 7–9, 9–7
59.22 August 2004Victorian Open Louise Crome9–1, 9–4, 9–5
60.13 May 2007Top End Open Peta Hughes9–1, 9–3, 9–0

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