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Lisa Opie

{{Short description|British squash player}}

{{about|the retired English squash player|the American beauty pageant holder|Lisa L. Opie}}

{{EngvarB|date=September 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}

{{Infobox squash player

| name = Lisa Opie
MBE

| image =

| caption =

| fullname =

| nickname =

| country = {{ENG}}

| residence = England

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|8|15}}

| birth_place = Guernsey {{flagicon|Guernsey}}

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height =

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| turnedpro = 1984

| retired = 1995

| plays = Right Handed

| coach =

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| event = Women's singles

| years_active =

| highest_ranking = No. 1

| date_of_highest_ranking = March 1988

| played =

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{{MedalSport | Women's squash }}

{{MedalCountry | {{ENG}} }}

{{MedalCompetition | World Championships }}

{{MedalSilver | 1985 Dublin | Singles }}

{{MedalSilver | 1987 Auckland | Singles }}

{{MedalBronze | 1981 Toronto | Singles }}

| updated = 3 March 2010

}}

Lisa Jane Opie MBE (born on 15 August 1963) is a retired British squash player, who was one of the game's leading woman players in the 1980s and early 1990s. Her biggest successes were winning the British Open in 1991 and four consecutive World Team Championships from 1985 to 1990. Until the rise of Cassie Campion, Lisa was England's number 1 player.

Born and raised in Guernsey in the Channel Islands, she was coached in her early years in the game by Reg Harbour.{{cite news|last=Batiste|first=Rob|title=Martine, Lisa just too close to be split|url=http://www.thisisguernsey.com/2008/02/02/martine-lisa-just-too-close-to-be-split/|accessdate=17 January 2011|newspaper=Guernsey Press and Star|date=2 February 2008}}{{cite news |first=Keith |last=Elliott |title=Keith Elliott at Large: Regeneration now the name of the game on squash island |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/keith-elliott-at-large-regeneration-now-the-name-of-the-game-on-squash-island-1442931.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220614/https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/keith-elliott-at-large-regeneration-now-the-name-of-the-game-on-squash-island-1442931.html |archive-date=14 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Independent |date=14 October 1994 |accessdate=7 April 2009}} In international competition, she represented England. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to squash in the 1995 New Year Honours.United Kingdom list: {{London Gazette |date=30 December 1994 |supp=1 |issue=53893 |pages=23}}{{cite web|url=http://www.guernseysports.com/Guernsey_sporting_heroes_detail.asp?PageID=262 |title=Guernsey Sport Commission Website |accessdate=7 April 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100430014412/http://www.guernseysports.com/Guernsey_sporting_heroes_detail.asp?PageID=262 |archivedate=30 April 2010 }} In later years she was coached by Gavin Dupre from Jersey. They began working together in Guernsey and Lisa later spent time training with him in Germany where he was based as a professional coach.

Playing career

Lisa won her first tournament in 1979 and quickly established herself as one of the game's best players. She reached the 1981 World Open semi-final but lost to Rhonda Thorne 9–2, 9–0, 9–4. This was to be the first in a series of near-misses for Lisa, as she reached two World Open finals but lost both times to the New Zealand squash legend Susan Devoy – in 1985 (9–4, 9–5, 10–8) and 1987 (9–3, 10–8, 9–2).

The British Open also provided much heartbreak. In 1982 and 1983 she lost in the final against the Australian Vicki Cardwell, and twice against old foe Devoy, in 1984 (5–9, 9–0, 9–7, 9–1) and 1986 (9–4, 9–2, 9–3). However, she eventually won the British Open in 1991 when she beat compatriot Sue Wright in the final 6–9, 9–3, 9–3, 9–4. This made her the first British woman to win the title in 30 years. That same year she finished second in the British Sports Journalists Award, with the athlete Liz McColgan coming first.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/sja-sport-awards/past-winners-of-the-sja-sports-awards/|title = Past winners of the SJA British Sports Awards – Sports Journalists' Association}}

World Open

=Finals: 2 (0 title, 2 runners-up)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!width="80"| Outcome

!width="350"| Year

!width="150"| Location

!width="150"| Opponent in the final

!width="150"| Score in the final

bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1985 Women's World Open Squash ChampionshipDublin, Ireland{{flagicon|NZL}} Susan Devoy9–4, 9–5, 10–8
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1987 Women's World Open Squash ChampionshipAuckland, New Zealand{{flagicon|NZL}} Susan Devoy9–3, 10–8, 9–2

British Open

=Finals: 5 (1 title, 4 runners-up)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!width="80"| Outcome

!width="350"| Year

!width="150"| Location

!width="150"| Opponent in the final

!width="150"| Score in the final

bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1982 Women's British Open Squash ChampionshipBromley, England{{flagicon|AUS}} Vicki Cardwell9–4, 5–9, 9–4, 9–4
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1983 Women's British Open Squash ChampionshipDerby, England{{flagicon|AUS}} Vicki Cardwell9–10, 9–6, 9–4, 9–5
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1984 Women's British Open Squash ChampionshipWembley, England{{flagicon|NZL}} Susan Devoy5–9, 9–0, 9–7, 9–1
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1986 Women's British Open Squash ChampionshipWembley, England{{flagicon|NZL}} Susan Devoy9–4, 9–2, 9–3
bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner1991 Women's British Open Squash ChampionshipLondon, England{{flagicon|ENG}} Sue Wright6–9, 9–3, 9–3, 9–4

World Team Championships

=Finals: 6 (4 titles, 2 runner-up)=

class="sortable wikitable"

!width="80"| Outcome

!width="350"| Year

!width="150"| Location

!width="150"| Opponent in the final

!width="150"| Score in the final

bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner1985 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsDublin, Ireland{{flagicon|NZL}} New Zealand2–1
bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner1987 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsAuckland, New Zealand{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia2–1
bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner1989 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsWarmond, Netherlands{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia3–0
bgcolor="98FB98"|Winner1990 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsSydney{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia2–1
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1981 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsToronto, Canada{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia2–1
bgcolor="FFA07A"|Runner-up1983 Women's World Team Squash ChampionshipsPerth, Australia{{flagicon|AUS}} Australia2–1

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • {{Squash Info|1115}}

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{{s-sports}}

{{succession box |

| before = Michelle Martin

| after = Michelle Martin

| title = World No. 1

| years = March 1988 – April 1988

|}}

{{s-end}}

{{Squash World Number Ones (women)}}

{{British Open squash women's singles champions}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Opie, Lisa}}

Category:English female squash players

Category:Guernsey sportswomen

Category:1963 births

Category:Living people

Category:Guernsey squash players

Category:Members of the Order of the British Empire

Category:20th-century English sportswomen