WORLD SQUASH NEWS

RESULTS: Women's Australian Open Squash Championship, Adelaide, South Australia

1st round:
[1] Sarah Fitz-Gerald (AUS) bt [Q] Kirsty Groves (AUS) 9-1, 9-1, 9-0
[6] Kasey Brown (AUS) bt [Q] Jaclyn Hawkes (NZL) 5-9, 9-3, 9-3, 9-5
[3] Heidi Mather (AUS) bt [Q] Cherelle Kelley (AUS) 9-1, 9-4, 9-2
[8] Line Hansen (DEN) bt Danielle Davis (AUS) 5-9, 9-6, 9-1, 9-2
Aisling Blake (IRL) bt [5] Dianne Desira (AUS) 9-7, 9-1, 9-5
[4] Amelia Pittock (AUS) bt [Q] Margriet Huisman (NED) 9-2, 9-2, 9-4
[7] Karen Kronemeyer (NED) bt Lisa Camilleri (AUS) 3-9, 3-9, 9-5, 9-5, 9-3
[2] Natalie Grinham (AUS) bt Mami Nishio (JPN) 9-5, 9-3, 9-1

Fitz-Gerald In Strong Australian Opener

Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald made a powerful start in the defence of her Australian Open Squash Championship title when she beat compatriot and qualifier Kirsty Groves for the loss of just two points in today's (Thursday) first round in Adelaide.

Fitz-Gerald, the top seed from Melbourne, is competing in her first WISPA World Tour event since winning her record fifth World title last November in Qatar.

Unbeaten since August 2001, Fitz-Gerald announced her retirement from the WISPA Tour in February to focus on alternative competitive pursuits - and in June led a promotional tour for WISPA to raise squash's profile in Russia.

"My national title is very important to me - I'll always want to compete in the Australian Open," said the Melburnian on the eve of the event.

Fitz-Gerald now faces top Australian junior Kasey Brown in the next round. Brown overcame a first game loss to beat New Zealand qualifier Jaclyn Hawkes 5-9 9-3 9-3 9-5.

Second seed Natalie Grinham is on course to meet Fitz-Gerald in the final. The world No8 from Queensland beat Japan's Mami Nishio 9-5 9-3 9-1.