Courtesy Gulf Times Sport
Fitz-Gerald hungry for more
By Yogesh Godbole, the Gulf Times
A career-threatening injury was not enough to deter this 32-year-old veteran of the international squash circuit.
Two years back, Sarah Fitz-Gerald was numero uno before a knee injury sent her crashing through the world rankings.
"I slipped to No 38 in the world rankings and thought that my career was over," she recalled after winning her first round match in the Qatar Classic tournament at the Khalifa courts yesterday.
But then her indomitable Australian spirit came to the fore and Sarah underwent medical treatment before bouncing right back to the top spot within one year of her return.
The latest world rankings released at the beginning of this month returned her to the No 1 spot, something that she has had to work very hard to achieve.
She crisscrossed the world, playing at smaller tournaments where even the organisers were pleasantly surprised to see her name on the roster and her competitors stunned at the stature of their rival.
No complaining, no whining, just top class victories that kept pushing her up the rankings, right back to the top where she once had been.
"I have been out of Australia for the better part of the year ... but I am happy that I have been getting substantial media coverage back home ... so much so that at least people in Australia now know that there is a Sarah Fitz-Gerald who plays squash," she says with an impish grin on her face
"I won almost everything in sight this year, except the last tournament in Hong Kong where Leilani (Joyce of New Zealand) defeated me. So I am very happy to be back at No 1 in the world rankings."
"Now I am focusing on the world championship in Melbourne immediately after this tournament. A home town win for me would be special ... it would be tremendous."
On being asked why there are so many seeded players from England and Scotland, but the top three spots are Down Under, Sarah is vehement: "It is just that Australians and New Zealanders are much more competitive."
"Leilani, Carol (Owens of Australia) and I have managed to hold on to the top but there is a whole bunch of talented players from Europe who are threatening our hold up there. Like Vanessa Atkinson of the Netherlands and the two talented Egyptian qualifiers (Omneya Abdel Kawy and Maha Zain) who played today."
"But we are also grooming good players in Australia like the Grinham sisters, Rachael and Natalia. So all in all there is a whole lot of talented players who just need some experience."
Away from the courts, this veteran of the international circuit is also the Womens International Squash Professionals Association (WISPA) president. And this puts an additional burden on her already busy schedule.
"We were planning on having a tie-up with a television network but that is presently on hold as they are having some financial problems."
"As for the Qatar Classic, we are having a wonderful time here. Most of us have played in Egypt though this is the first time that we are playing in the Gulf. And I am glad that the first squash tournament in the Gulf is a major one."
"It has been a wonderful experience ... I know that all the girls are enjoying themselves tremendously. I know I am."