Sarah Fitz-Gerald grabbed the Com4Net Munich Open Squash Crown this afternoon with back to back wins over reigning World Women's squash champion Cassie Campion yesterday and Women's WISPA Grand Prix Champion Carol Owens in today's final.

Fitz-Gerald downed fellow Australian Owens in straight games, 9-7, 9-4, 9-0, though she had to come back from a 7-4 deficit in game one and a 5-4 deficit in game two to win. A marathon point at 8-5 in the second game broke Owens, and she only regained serve twice more in the remainder of the match which Fitz-Gerald increasingly dominated. The win extended Fitz-Gerald's unbeaten string to four WISPA tournaments and 22 straight match wins.

This afternoon's match demonstrated Fitz-Gerald's strength, as she came back seemingly untired on Sunday after playing the number three and one seeds on Thursday and Saturday, as well as two additional qualifying matches that Owens was not required to play.

Fitz-Gerald was complimentary of her opponent after her victory this afternoon. "Carol Owens really pushed me hard today." said Fitz-Gerald. "I knew that Carol would be confident after her Grand Prix crown last week. And I knew she would be wanting to make a good showing in a contest for bragging rights in Australia. I perhaps had a higher motivation, with the thought that I had the opportunity to beat both the current world champion and current Grand Prix title holder in one weekend."

Fitz-Gerald said she is now confident about her re-built knee and her fitness. She intends to play four WISPA tour events over the coming month in North America, in hope of further improving her ranking position and further tuning her game with an eye toward regaining her number one-in-the-world position and the world championship later this year.

Sarah Fitz-Gerald, is a professional squash player from Melbourne, Australia. Sarah is three-times World Squash Champion and winner of thirty-three (33) 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 the WISPA Glidden Open and Greenwich Open in the USA, and Rosebowl Classic in England. Sarah Fitz-Gerald is the current president of WISPA, and her principal equipment sponsors are Dunlop rackets and Hi-Tec shoes.

For further information, visit www.squashtalk.com/sarahfitz

or email: sarah_fitz_press@mindspring.com

16th April 2000