|
Sarah
Fitz-Gerald (AUS) (1) - World #1
 |
| Australia, 33 years
old |
Sarah Fitz-Gerald has had
pressure on her to reach the top from the time she was a highly
regarded junior from Melbourne Australia. She reached the top
in 1997 --- finally surpassing her countrywoman Michelle Martin,
then fell to the depths in the midst of knee injuries and two
operations, then battled back in 2000, slowly but surely, regaining
world #1, the British Open, and the World Championships in an
exciting fall of 2001. Her game depends on power and length which
leaves most of her opponents scrambling in the rear corners. She
also has the mental toughness to withstand her brutal battles
with rivals such as Carol Owens and the currently injured Leilani
Joyce.
|
Sarah Fitz-Gerald - last 5 Tournament Successes |
|
Jan
|
2002
|
Winner
|
Hartford Open, USA
|
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Winner
|
World Open, AUS
|
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Winner
|
Qatar Open, QAT
|
|
Sep
|
2001
|
Winner
|
Heliopolis Open, EGY
|
|
Aug
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Hong
Kong Open, HKG |
|
|
Linda
Charman-Smith (3) (ENG) - World #5
 |
| England, 30 years
old |
Linda Charman-Smith, a stylish
and popular player on tour, currently enjoys the position as the
top-seeded English player on tour. Charman-Smith brings a slightly
more unique persona and style to the tour than the other leading
players, and though she puts forth great skills, stamina and style,
the extra intangiables that would place her in the same elite league
as Fitz-Gerald, Owens, and Joyce, have eluded her.
| Linda
Charman-Smith - last 5 Tournament Successes |
|
Jan
|
2002
|
Semi-finalist
|
Hartford Open, USA
|
| Nov |
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Monte Carlo
Classic, MON |
| Nov |
2001
|
Winner
|
Bronxville
Club Open, USA |
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
World Open, AUS
|
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
British
Open, ENG |
|
|
Suzanne
Horner (5) (ENG) - World #9
 |
| England, 38 years
old |
Suzanne Horner fights back father
time in the most amazing ways. Horner has been in the top ten since
before Sarah Fitz-Gerald's emergence on the scene. At an amazing
38 years old, Horner uses her court sense and experience to beat
back all challenges from younger foes. Great accuracy and flawless
tactics help her to defeat all but the most focused foes. Suzanne
won the Vassar Women's Class of 1932 last January in Poughkeepsie
New York. Horner has also easily taken home the over-35 crowns at
the world championships and British Open while concurrently competing
in the open division.
|
Suzanne
Horner - last 5 Tournament
Successes
|
| Nov |
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Monte Carlo
Classic, MON |
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
World Open, AUS
|
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Qatar Open, QAT
|
|
Aug
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Hong Kong Open, HKG
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Seattle
Open, USA |
|
|
Natalie
Grinham (7) (AUS)- World #12
 |
| Australia, 23 years
old |
Natalie Grinham is the younger
have of a dynamic sister duo - Rachel and Natalie, both in the world's
top 12. Natalie, an effervescent player and person who brings life
to the tour, is a whirlwind of activity on court. Her instictive
court movement and breathtaking speed and fitness can take her far
on tour as her game matures. Her best recent finish is as finalist
in the Kuala Lumpur Open last February.
|
Natalie Grinham -
last 5 Tournament Successes |
|
Jan
|
2002
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Hartford Open, USA
|
| Nov |
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Monte Carlo
Classic, MON |
| Nov |
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Macau Open,
MAC |
|
Sep
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Heliopolis Open, EGY
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Las Vegas Open, USA
|
|
|
Shelley
Kitchen (NZL) - World #14
 |
| New Zealand, 22 years
old |
Shelly Kitchen burst onto
the WISPA scene last year and has achieved notice through her
racquet skills, speed and power. She is still developing her tactical
maturity but won both the YTL Open and Singapore Open in 2001.
|
Shelley
Kitchen -
last 5 Tournament Successes
|
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Winner
|
YTL Open, MAL
|
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Winner
|
Singapore Open, SIN
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
San Francisco Challenge,
USA
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Las Vegas Open, USA
|
|
Jan
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Greenwich Open, USA
|
|
|
|
Carol
Owens (2) (NZL) - World #3
 |
| New Zealand, 30 years
old |
Carol Owens also hails from
Melbourne and got her training from the same coach as Fitz-Gerald
--- namely Sarah's mother. Owens, tired of playing second fiddle
to the personable Fitz-Gerald in Australia, switch Nationalities
to New Zealand this year. Owens presents fierce determination
and impressive athleticism on court. Her strong tactics and skills
make her the main opponent who can put strong pressure on Fitz-Gerald.
Owens, slightly more nimble than Fitz-Gerald, has tended to offer
up just one or two more critical errors than Sarah at critical
junctures.
|
Carol
Owens - last 5 Tournament Successes
|
|
Jan
|
2002
|
Finalist
|
Hartford Open, USA
|
| Nov |
2001
|
Winner
|
Macau Open,
MAC |
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
World Open, AUS
|
|
Aug
|
2001
|
Finalist
|
Hong
Kong Open, HKG |
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Finalist
|
British
Open, ENG |
|
|
Stephanie
Brind (4) (ENG) -World #7
 |
| England, 24 years
old |
Stephanie Brind and Tania Bailey
burst onto the WISPA scene together about two years ago with very
high hopes. Stephanie, more quiet and reserved than Tania, has established
herself without fanfare in the top eight. Her last tour win was
in September 2000 at the Malaysian Open. Stephanie's weapons on
court include superlative quickness, an ability to stay strongly
focused, and good touch up front.
| Stephanie
Brind - last 5 Tournament
Successes |
| Nov |
2001
|
Finalist
|
Macau Open,
MAC |
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
World Open, AUS
|
|
Oct
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Qatar Open, QAT
|
|
Aug
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Hong
Kong Open, HKG |
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
British
Open, ENG |
|
|
Rebecca
Macree (6) (ENG) - World #10
 |
| England, 30 years
old |
Rebecca Macree uses her size
to good advantage on court. She has the ability to volley anything
in sight, but also is accused by some of her foes of subtle and
continual blocking tactics. Macree, who is deaf, is an amazing success
story in a sport where the sound of the ball against the wall and
floor is a key element of the crucial element of anticipation in
most elite players' games. Macree, a perennial latter-round player,
last took home a WISPA win in the 1997 Isostar Tournament in Holland.
She was a finalist in the Vassar Women's Class of 32 last January
in New York.
|
Rebecca
Macree -
last 5 Tournament Successes
|
| Nov |
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Monte Carlo
Classic, MON |
|
Sep
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Heliopolis Open, EGY
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Las Vegas Open, USA
|
|
Jun
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
British
Open, ENG |
|
Jan
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Marsh
McLennan Open, USA |
|
|
Tania
Bailey (ENG)(8) - World #13
 |
| England, 22 years
old |
Tania Bailey bears the burden
of UK Squash's expectations of great results on the world scene.
Bailey's last tour win was in the USA at the San Francisco Intl
Challenge, May 2000. In 2001 she suffered a knee injury and is just
making her way back on tour. Her game is dependent on consistency,
length and ability to run faster and longer than her opponent.
Tania appeared at the women's
exhibition at the 2001 TOC at Grand Central.
| Tania
Bailey -
last 5 Tournament Successes |
|
Aug
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Hong Kong Open, HKG
|
|
May
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Seattle
Open, USA |
| Apr |
2001 |
Quarter-finalist
|
Grand
Prix Finals, EGY |
|
Mar
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Munich
Open, GER |
|
Jan
|
2001
|
Finalist
|
Marsh
McLennan Open, USA |
|
|
Vicky
Botwright (ENG) - World #15
 |
| England, 24 years
old |
Vicky Botwright unfortunately
has mainly attained notoriety for taking the court at last year's
British Open in a revealing thong, rather than for her squash
results. Vicky has never made it to a WISPA final, semi is best
career finish to date. Botwright played in 2001 TOC exhibition.
|
Vicky
Botwright - last 5
Tournament Successes
|
|
Sep
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Himmerland Tuborg Open,
DEN
|
|
Jan
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Greenwich Open, USA
|
|
Jan
|
2001
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Marsh
McLennan Open, USA |
| Jan
|
2001
|
Semi-finalist
|
Vassar '32, USA
|
| Dec |
2000
|
Quarter-finalist
|
Monte Carlo
Classic, MON |
|
|
