2018-2019 Was A ‘Unique Season’ For Sarah-Jane Perry Due To Injury

As we reach the end of another season, the PSA’s Matt Coles has been talking to the stars of the PSA World Tour about their 2018/19 campaigns. Here he catches up with World No.7 and England’s No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry.
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The 2018-2019 season was split into two parts for England No.1 Sarah-Jane Perry, after she required surgery on her right arm following the Hong Kong Open in November.

The World No.7 spent a couple of months away from the sport, before making her return at the 2018-19 PSA World Championships in Chicago in February, and she is happy with the way she came back.

“It’s been a unique season in many respects. I’ve certainly played my best squash to date and I’m pleased with how I’ve fought my way back since the operation but I’ve not had the consistency I’ve come to expect from myself,” Perry admitted.

The Englishwoman tasted victory in her first tournament, as she retained her Oracle NetSuite Open in San Francisco, beating Raneem El Welily in the final.

She won the final in San Francisco 3-2 for the second year running, having overcome eight-time World Champion Nicol David in the final in 2017, and she says that there is just something about San Fran.

“There’s obviously something about San Fran that makes me feel at home and play well there,” she explained.

“It has emotional memories from the previous year so it’s an extremely special place to me too. The quality of the opponents I had to play to defend my title this season just adds to that also.”

Despite her victory in the States, Perry believes that her victory over three-time, and current, World Champion Nour El Sherbini in Hull was her best outing in 2018-2019.

“Taking everything into account, my quarter final win over Nour El Sherbini at the British Open. Proving to myself that I could play to my pre injury level and that my win in Hong Kong wasn’t a complete fluke!” she said.

The off-season is all about making sure that her right arm is fully fit and ready to go for the next campaign, and Perry will also be looking towards a couple of big goals for the new season.

I will be taking some time off to reset and get a clear focus of my goals or ambitions for next season,” she explained.

“I was getting sharper and sharper towards the end of the season so I’ll definitely be looking to improve my physicality and be fitter, faster and stronger come September!”

“There will be some process goals along the way to be set during the summer but the overarching goals remain as [reaching the] top four and the priority tournament will be the World Championships at the Pyramids.”

Keep a look out for the next player’s review of the 2018-19 season in the coming days, as World No.1 Ali Farag reviews his stellar campaign.