Glidden Open: Fitz-Gerald scores rare 27-0 on quest for comeback, to meet L Khan
The Glidden Open, held in memory of famous USA squash champion and sports artist Germain Glidden, attracted an interesting WISPA draw as well as an excellent turnout of skill-group players. The new home for pro Max Weithers, from Guyana via Toronto, The Southport Racket Club also showed off its new plans for club expansion.
Sarah Fitz-Gerald, although unseeded, led the field and charged through the qualifer and into the semi-finals.
Australia's three-times former world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald continued her impressive comeback in the Women's Glidden Squash Open in the USA, crushing 4th seed Pamela Nimmo, the world No17 from Scotland, 9-0 9-0 9-0 in the quarter-finals in Southport, Connecticut. A 27 to love match is a rarity at any level of play, but especially at the pro level. In this case, Fitz-Gerald, playing against a quality opponent clearly had something to demonstrate. She did that emphatically, showing the WISPA pros and the world that she has the focus and the stroke-work back to compete at high levels. Fitz-Gerald is returning from an injury-induced layoff.
The former world No1 from Melbourne is competing in her first event as a qualifier for 14 years following her return to the WISPA World Tour after an eight-month layoff due to surgery on her left knee.
In the first round... Shabana vs Shabana
Currently ranked 38 in the world, Fitz-Gerald now faces world No12 Rebecca Macree, the second seed from England who defeated Egypt's unseeded Salma Shabana 5-9 9-2 9-3 9-6.
Playing in her first event as a qualifier for 14 years, Australia's three-times former world champion Sarah Fitz-Gerald swiftly dismissed Scotland's 8th seed Senga Macfie 9-1 9-1 9-0 in the first round of the Women's Glidden Squash Open in Southport, Connecticut, USA.
The former world No1 from Melbourne, who has returned to the WISPA World Tour after an eight-month layoff following surgery to her left knee, now faces another Scot - fourth seed Pamela Nimmo who claimed the narrowest possible victory when she beat England's Vicky Botwright 6-9 9-3 9-3 9-10 10-9.
The first WISPA World Tour meeting between the sport's two women Shabanas also ended in an upset when Egypt's Salma Shabana beat the host country's fifth seed Shabana Khan 7-9 9-0 9-4 9-2.
