SquashTalk > WISPA Grand Prix Finals 2001 > Sara Fitz-Gerald Press Release
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updated 19-Apr-2001
Sarah Fitz-Gerald wins the WISPA 2001 Grand Prix
April 19 2001
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THREE TIMES WORLD SQUASH CHAMPION FITZ-GERALD GAINS WISPA GRAND PRIX CROWN
April 19, 2001. For Immediate Release, Hurghada, Egypt - Three times World Squash Champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald has just won the WISPA Grand Prix Finals played on a glass exhibition court at the Red Sea resort of Hurghada, Egypt in front of 1000 spectators and Ms. Suzanne Mubarek.
In the finals, Fitz-Gerald downed current world #1 and British Open Crown holder, Leilani Joyce of New Zealand, in 35 minutes, losing only 12 points in three games. The match scores were 9-6, 9-5, and 9-1.
The WISPA Grand Prix Finals pit the top eight world ranked players against each other in a two-pool round robin format. The final four meet in an elimination format. Fitz-Gerald went through the entire competition without losing a game. She defeated world #2 and current World Open champion, Carol Owens of Australia, 3-0 in the pool matches and then defeated world #4, Linda Charman-Smith, 3-0 in the semi-finals. Full accounts of her matches are to be found at http://www.squashtalk.com/grandprix2001
Dating back to the beginning of 2001, Fitz-Gerald has a winning streak going in which she has won the last 6 WISPA events she has entered and has furthermore not lost a single game at any level of competition.
"I am excited to have won the WISPA Grand Prix Finals," said Fitz-Gerald this evening. "It's one of the two major crowns in squash that had eluded me until now. My next goal is to continue to improve my play on the USA leg of the WISPA tour in May, leading into the British Open in June."
The British Open, is the one title that Fitz-Gerald has not won in her career.
Fitz-Gerald, currently ranked No 3 in the World, missed most of 1999 and 2000 due to an eight (8) month absence from the Women’s International Squash Player Association (WISPA) World Tour while recovering from two operations to repair cartilage damage to her left knee. She has since won the last five events in a row since December, defeating the World No’s 1, 2,4, 5 and 10 in the finals.
Fitz-Gerald will fly immediately back to the UK where she will compete in the Welsh Open in Cardiff Wales this weekend.
Sarah Fitz-Gerald, is a professional squash player from Melbourne, Australia. Sarah is three-times World Squash Champion and winner of forty-two (42) Women's International Squash Player Association (WISPA) World Tour titles, making her the most successful present day player. After holding the #1 ranking position unbroken for two (2) years, Sarah underwent knee surgery in December 1998 and May 1999, returning to competition in 2000 winning eight (8) WISPA Open titles and the 2001 Apawamis and Greenwich Opens, the Tournament of Champions, USA, The 2001 Munich Open, and finally the WISPA Grand Prix Final in Egypt. She currently holds the world #3 ranking. Sarah Fitz-Gerald is the current president of WISPA, and her principal equipment sponsors are Dunlop Sports and Hi-Tec shoes.
For further information, e-mail: sarah_fitz_press@mindspring.com or visit http://www.sarahfitz-gerald.com or http://www.squashtalk.com
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