Tania Bailey
Birth date2 October 1979 (age 47)
Birth placeStamford, Lincs, England
EventWomen's singles
NationalityBritish (English)
Turnedpro1998
Retired2012
HandednessRight
RacquetDunlop Hot Melt Custom Pro
Highest rankingNo. 4
Date of highest rankingMarch 2003

Tania Ann Bailey (born 2 October 1979) is a retired professional squash player from England. She reached a career high ranking of 4 in the world during March 2003.[1]

Biography

As a junior player, Bailey won the World Junior Championship in 1997 and captained the England team to World and European junior team titles. A car accident led to a career-threatening knee injury at the age of 21, but she successfully recovered after surgery and resumed her playing career.[citation needed]

Her greatest achievement was being part of the England team that won the 2000 Women's World Team Squash Championships held in Sheffield[2] and later the 2006 Women's World Team Squash Championships in Edmonton, Canada.[3]

Bailey represented the 2002 England team[4] at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester, England.[5] She competed in the singles and doubles and won a silver medal in the doubles partnering Cassie Jackman.[6]

In 2003, Bailey finished runner-up to Sarah Fitz-Gerald at the British Open. She reached a career-high ranking of World No. 4 that year.[7] In February 2006, Bailey clinched her first British National Championships in Manchester, defeating the No.1 seed and previous champion Linda Elriani 3–1 in a hotly contested 76-minute final.[8]

Bailey won a bronze medal in the women's doubles event at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia,[9] partnering Vicky Botwright.[10]

In 2010, she was part of the English team that won the silver medal at the 2010 Women's World Team Squash Championships.[11]

Bailey won seven gold medals for the England women's national squash team at the European Squash Team Championships from 1999 to 2010.[12][13]

Major world series final appearances

British Open

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2002Sarah Fitz-Gerald9–3, 9–0, 9–0

Hong Kong Open

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2006Nicol David9–1, 10–8, 9-5

Malaysian Open

OutcomeYearOpponent in the finalScore in the final
Runner-up2006Nicol David9–4, 9–6, 2-9 5–9, 9-3
Runner-up2007Nicol David9–4, 9–3, 9-2

See also

References

  1. ^ "Profile and world ranking". Squash Info. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  2. ^ "England end their long wait for title". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 27 November 2000. p. 42. Retrieved 15 April 2026. – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Squash". Belfast Telegraph. 2 October 2006. p. 21. Retrieved 15 April 2026. – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Lee's triumph over adversity". Yorkshire Evening Post. 5 August 2002. p. 40. Retrieved 15 April 2026. – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Statistics". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  6. ^ "Commonwealth Games medallists - Court and Table Sports". GBR Athletics. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  7. ^ "Sharon moves up three rungs in world rankings". Malaysia Star. 2003-03-05. Archived from the original on 2011-06-22. Retrieved 2010-10-30. KL Open champion Carol Owens of New Zealand took over the world number one spot vacated by Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald, who announced her retirement from the Wispa Tour last month. The top 10 rankings: 1. Carol Owens (Nzl), 2. Natalie Pohrer (Usa), 3. Linda Charman (Eng), 4. Tania Bailey (Eng), ....
  8. ^ "Matthew & Bailey take GB titles". BBC Sport. 2006-02-13. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  9. ^ "Tania Bailey selected for Commonwealth Games". BBC Sport. 2010-07-14. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  10. ^ "Results". BBC Sport. 7 March 2006. Retrieved 15 April 2026.
  11. ^ "Australia Reclaim World Team Title in New Zealand". World Squash. 4 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  12. ^ "European Team Squash Championships". InterSportStats. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
  13. ^ "Men's European Team Championship: Event History (53 events)". Squash Info. Retrieved 6 June 2025.