LEGENDS
This award is to recognise Australian Squash Players who have achieved excellence at the highest level of sport. These players will have achieved an individual world ranking of at least a no. 1 or 2 world ranking and will have played on the professional circuit for at least 10 years.
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Vicki Cardwell
Vicki Cardwell was a dominant force on the world and Australian squash scene from the late seventies to the mid-nineties. Her Australian record is also outstanding, winning the Australian Amateur Women’s Championship in 1978 and then going on to clinch the Australian Women’s Open Championship in 1979, 80, 82, 83, 84, 88 and 89. Her squash career did not end there as she also holds many Masters titles - winning the World Masters Championships in 1987 (45), 1990 (45), 1993 (50), and 1995 (50). Her outstanding career has been recognised by her induction into the Squash Australia Hall of Fame and the Australian Sport Hall of Fame. The Australian government has also acknowledged her contribution and services to squash and Australian sport with the award of the British Empire Medal. |
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Sarah Fitz-Gerald
Sarah Fitz-Gerald is recognised as one of the top three female squash players of all time, having only been beaten once in the past seven years (the semi finals of the 2001 Hong Kong Open). Sarah’s career started by winning the World Junior Championship in 1987, before bursting onto the senior tour to win numerous major titles as well as five World Team Championship titles, World Cup gold medals and the 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medal. Sarah represented Australia from the age of 14, having worn the ‘green and gold’ on 75 separate occasions. After holding the No.1 ranking position unbroken for two years, Sarah underwent knee surgery in December 1998 and May 1999, returning to competition in 2000. She retired from the World Tour in February, 2003. Although Sarah’s on-court feats are excellent, she has worked just as tirelessly off the court, devoting much of her spare time to the administration and promotion of women’s squash at the international level, as well as the grass roots level to increase participation, especially for young girls and women. Sarah was on the Board of the Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) for 11 years and as its President since 1995. Although the primary aim of WISPA is to oversee the professional side of the sport, under Sarah’s Presidency, this body has developed interest in the game amongst women and girls in under developed squash nations and each year WISPA undertakes promotional tours into these countries and on each occasion Sarah has spent unpaid time leading these groups. Sarah has worked tirelessly for the promotion and development of squash throughout the world and has been an outstanding ambassador for the sport and for Australia on the world sporting stage, as well, an excellent role model for women. Sarah’s sporting feats as well as her attitude of giving back to the sport more than she has received, has held her in high esteem by many people within the Australian and international sporting arenas. Sarah’s foresight to take squash to women and girls in countries that previously had not had the opportunity to be involved in international competition has allowed the international game of women’s squash to grow and be stronger well into this new century. Sarah has won numerous state and national awards, possibly the most significant being the 2001 Dawn Fraser Award. The criteria for the Dawn Fraser Award was established by Sport Industry Australia to reflect the achievement and standing of Dawn Fraser within Australia and on the stage of international sport. The Award winner must display excellence, on the sporting field, as well as demonstrate outstanding qualities through their contribution to other areas in Australian society. At the 2001 award ceremony, Dawn Fraser said that Sarah “had displayed outstanding commitment to her sport, both on and off the court and had proven herself to be an outstanding Australian”. To win the 2001 Award, Sarah defeated the likes of Lleyton Hewitt and Ian Thorpe. ACHIEVEMENTS: Winner of 65 WISPA and World Tour titles from 94 finals appearances MAJOR AWARDS: Dawn Fraser Award Winner (2001) defeating Lleyton Hewitt and Ian Thorpe |
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Ken Hiscoe
Ken Hiscoe is one of the stalwarts of Australian squash. His performances and efforts through the sixties and seventies assisted in forming the sound foundation for Australian squash that we have today and the athletes that followed. During the same period Hiscoe was off around the world collecting the South African Championship and the Scottish Championship in 1963. He captained the Australian men’s team from 1964 to 1971, which was unbeaten, and played in the World Team Championships in 1967, 1969 and 1971. From 1971 to 1978 Hiscoe won 20 individual titles worldwide. Once leaving the senior elite ranks he continued in the Masters where he won the British Open Masters Championships from 1980 to 1993, and was the World Masters Champion for the 45year age group in 1983. Hiscoe never played in a losing NSW or Australian team from 1960 to 1978 - a great feat in its own right. Hiscoe also mentored a 16-year-old Geoff Hunt on his first tour to England. His squash ability and his services to the sport have been acknowledged by his induction into the Squash Australia Hall of Fame in 2005. |
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Michelle Martin
Michelle Martin has been one of Australia’s most prolific athletes on the international squash scene. She won three consecutive world titles in 1993, 94, and 95, and clinched six straight British Opens titles – in 1993, 94, 95, 96, 97 and 98. She also held the world No.1 ranking from 1993-95 and again in 1999. This domination overflowed into her Australian representational duties, competing at six World Women’s Team’s Championships in 1987, 90, 92, 94, 96 and 98. Martin also competed for Australia at the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games winning two gold medals in the women’s singles and the mixed doubles. She also represented Australia in the 1996 and 1999 World Cups. In addition to her outstanding international prowess she won seven Australian Open Championships – in 1991, 93, 94, 95, 96, 98 and 99. Her outstanding squash attributes have been acknowledge by both the Australian public and the World Squash Federation after being inducted into both respective Sports Halls of Fame. In March 2005 she was inducted into the inaugural Australian Squash Hall of Fame. Martin has continued her commitment to Australian squash in the coaching field, and was manager/coach of the victorious Australian team at the 2004 World Women’s Teams Championship in Amsterdam. In 2013 the Australian government acknowledged Michelle's contribution and services to Squash and Australian sport with the award Medal of the Order of Australia. |
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Rachael Grinham
Rachael Grinham is the first player to still be active on tour and inducted into the Squash Australia Hall of fame. Previewing the world of her pedigree from a young age, Rachael won the World Junior Championship at just 16, before turning professional in 1994. She claimed her first title in 1997 and has gone on compete in 299 tournaments to this day, landing in 75 finals and claiming 37 PSA titles including 3 Australian Opens as recent as 2020. In 2001 Rachael broke into the top 10 and would remain there for a decade until 2012. 2001 was also the first family final at a major event with Rachael defeating her sister Natalie, in Malaysia. Becoming world number 1 in 2003 she held that place for 16 consecutive months thanks to claiming her first of 4 British Open titles with the others to follow in 2004, 2007 and 2009. 2022 saw Rachael become one of the greatest female Commonwealth Games Athletes of all time, with 8 Commonwealth Games Medals and having represented at 5 games since squash’s inception in 1998. The 2022 games in Birmingham would recognise her outstanding achievements by selecting her as the Flag Bearer for Australia at the opening ceremony. We congratulate Rachael on her achievements so far recognising them as a Legend and wish her the best in her ongoing endeavours. Kuala Lumpur 1998 – Women’s Doubles Silver Manchester 2002 – Women’s Singles Bronze/Women’s Doubles Bronze Melbourne 2006 – Women’s Singles Silver/Mixed Doubles Silver/ Women’s Doubles Gold Glasgow 2014 – Mixed Doubles Gold Gold Coast 2018 – Women’s Doubles Bronze Birmingham 2022 – Flag Bearer for Australia |
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Chris Dittmar
Chris Dittmar is arguably the greatest player in the modern era never to have won a World Open after he finished runner-up on five occasions – in 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1992 – losing to the mighty Jahangir or Jansher Khan on each occasion. He was runner up in two British Opens – in 1985 and 1993 – and during this period Chris also represented Australia in the World Men’s Teams Titles, in 1983, 1987, 1989 and 1991. Chris was runner-up in two World Junior Championships in 1980 and 1982, and he won the British Open Junior Championship in 1981. During his career Chris took out many Australian and international titles, including three Australian Opens – in 1988, 1989 and 1991 – as well as three New Zealand Opens, three Canadian Opens, three European Opens, and two South African Opens. His outstanding contribution to squash has been recognised by his induction into the Squash Australia Hall of Fame in 2005. Chris has continued his support for Australian squash in his role as Patron of Squash Australia from 2002 to 2005. He is one of Australia’s athletes, who through his squash skill and presence on the world scene, assisted in establishing the firm base upon which Australian squash now resides. |
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David Palmer
David Palmer competed on the PSA tour from 1995 – 2012, twice reaching a number 1 world ranking in 2001/2 and 2006. During his professional career, he won the PSA Super Series final in 2002, and reached 53 World Tour finals winning on 27 occasions. David was a two times World Champion in 2002 and 2006. He is one of seven athletes to obtain a world title on multiple occasions as well as being a 4-time British Open Champion (2001, 2003, 2004 and 2008). He was a top ten ranked male player for ten consecutive years from 2000 before retiring from PSA tour competition in 2012. David captained the Australian squash team six times, winning the Men’s World Team Championships in 2001 and 2003. David received the Squash Australia athlete of the year four times (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2014) and was additionally awarded player of the decade by his peers in 2012. |
