World champion and five-time world open title holder Sarah Fitz-Gerald has brought her elite game to Ballarat as she competes in the Australian Masters Squash Championships.
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The Victorian Masters Squash Association-run tournament is being held for the first time outside of metropolitan Melbourne, at the Wendouree-based Ballarat Squash and Racquetball Fitness Centre.
This week participants are contesting the individual competition with finals to be held on Friday, while the interstate teams series begins on Monday.
The tournament will feature more than 400 competitors across the two weeks.
VMSA president Lou Morsch said the seeded players in most of the divisions had progressed through the first round of matches, including Fitz-Gerald in the 45-49 age division and world masters champion Peter Gilbee in the 55-59 age division.
However Warren Miller, a champion in the 50-54 division for the past four years, was upset in a match on Tuesday by Geelong’s Garry Pedersen.
The unexpected loss had made it difficult for Miller to become the first player to win his age division five years in a row.
An international test series between Australian and New Zealand preceded the tournament, with the home team claiming victory.
Australia won the first test 10-4 on Friday, and clinched the series 11-3 on Saturday.
“Some of the matches were contested in five so they were pretty close, but they’ve done us proud,” Morsch said.
A final test match will be played on Saturday.
