Changing the game with Sarah Fitz-Gerald

In a professional career spanning 15 years, Sarah Fitz-Gerald has conquered the squash world, both on and off the court. 

Her tireless efforts to promote squash and put the sport on the map haven’t gone unnoticed with recognition from all corners of the globe including an Order of Australia (AM) in 2004 for her achievements and services to women’s squash. 

Fitz-Gerald has been inducted into the Sport Australia, Women’s International Squash Professional Association (WISPA), World Squash Federation, Squash Australia and Victorian Squash Federation Hall of Fames.

For Fitz-Gerald, her commitment to improving the sport comes down to her love of the game.

“My mum taught me to always say thanks to the organisers. I remember being overseas when a friend asked me a whole bunch of questions about the event, sponsors, organisers and I couldn’t answer and I felt lost, ashamed that I flew into a country, played, accepted prize money and left,” she explained. 

“That was not what I was taught and that's when I realised I was prepared to be the link, to give back to the sport.

“I've now spent 30 years on boards and promoting the sport I love.”

Looking back on Fitz-Gerald’s glittering career, her path to the top of women’s squash all started at the age of five. Her mum was a four-time Australian and three-time Victorian Champion with Fitz-Gerald’s five siblings all growing up playing sport - four of them were squash players. 

“I loved it instantly,” she said. “When I got my first trophy it took pride of place at home.”

At the age of 12, the Melbourne-born athlete won the U13 Australian Junior Championships. Fitz-Gerald remembers carrying the trophy onto the plane after her victory.

“The trophy was bigger than me and I had to carry it onto a plane,” she recalled. “The captain made an announcement, the passengers clapped, I had a shy but big smile from ear to ear.

“The friendships I made in my earlier years are still my dearest friends today, things like this is what cemented the sport for me.”

By the time she was 14, she was selected to represent Australia going on to win the 1987 World Junior Championship with none other than Heather McKay as her coach. In the same year, she made her national senior debut at the Women’s World Team Squash Championships, where Australia clinched silver behind England. 

Four years later, Fitz-Gerald would go on to win gold at the 1992 Women’s World Team Championships - the first of seven World Team titles.

As the Melbournian continued to make a name for herself on the world stage, it was in 1996 that turned out to be her breakthrough year. Just two weeks after she underwent surgery to remove her wisdom teeth, she sensationally won the World Open Final without dropping a game in the whole tournament.

Fitz-Gerald would go on to defend her title the following year and then again in 1998. 

Fitz-Gerald's star would only rise from there as she rose to no.1 in the world rankings from 1996 to 1998. While knee surgery in late 1998 and 1999 slightly halted momentum, the two-time 1998 Commonwealth Games medallist came back to reclaim world no.1 in 2001. She would hold that honour until she retired from the World Tour in 2003 with an unbeaten streak of 71 matches.

Making a comeback in 2010, she won her seventh and final World Team Championships in New Zealand.

Throughout her career, Fritz-Gerald captured eight World Championships medals, a World Games gold, two British Opens, 62 World Tour Titles and three Commonwealth Games medals including gold at Manchester 2002. 

Of all her experiences throughout her playing career, there is one moment that stands out - the 2002 World Open in Doha.

After a storm hit southern England, all flights were cancelled and it looked as though Fritz-Gerald would miss her first-round match. After many hours, she managed to get a standby seat and eventually made it to the event, tired with no baggage and only a few hours to spare.

“I did have my rackets and odd shoes - left and a right but one was old and one was new,” Fitz-Gerald said. 

“I borrowed clothes from players, hand washed daily, and checked with the airline for my baggage and the World Open trophy, which was in my possession as last year's winner.”

Her bags finally arrived in time for the final, and she was able to return the trophy to the organisers. With her bags, matching shoes, which Fitz-Gerald said “was a relief”, and her own clothes again, she was ready for her last ever professional match.

In a tough final against England’s Natalie Pohrer, in which the match was stopped to fix the air-conditioning, Fitz-Gerald was able to win her fifth World Open title. 

Away from the court, Fitz-Gerald has been committed to the growth of squash in both Australia and abroad. In 1991, she first served as President of the Women’s International Players Association, a position she held for over a decade.

Alongside being the current Vice President of the World Squash Federation and President of Squash & Racquetball Victoria, Fitz-Gerald has also lent her hand at coaching Australian senior and junior teams as well as Victorian junior teams.

“Each time I get involved in events, committees or promotions on whatever level, I just hope to bring my playing ability, knowledge, history and love of the game to everyone,” she said.

“If this inspires people to keep improving, playing and maybe grow the recognition of the sport just a little bit…then I'm satisfied I've done what I could.

“I just hope someone else takes it further in the future.”