Geoff Hunt
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey Brian Hunt, MBE
(born 11 March 1947, in Melbourne
, Australia
), is a retired Australian squash
player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest squash players in history.
He was ranked the World No.1 squash player from 1975 to 1980. He won the World Open title four times. He was the event's inaugural champion, winning the competition on the first four occasions it was held (1976, 1977, 1979 and 1980). He also won the International Amateur Individual Championship three times (1967, 1969, and 1971), and the British Open
(which was considered to be the effective world championship event involving both amateurs and professionals before the World Open began) eight times between 1969 and 1981. Hunt won 178 of the 215 tournaments he contested during his career.
Hunt won the Australian Junior Championship in 1963, and he first won the Australian Amateur Men's Championship in 1965.
Hunt was known for having great determination. He ultimately suffered back problems, which curtailed his career.
After retiring as a player, Hunt served as the Head Squash Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport
from 1985–2003, where he helped develop a new generation of Australian squash stars.
Hunt has been inducted into the World Squash Federation
Hall of Fame and the Australian Sport Hall of Fame.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 11 March 1947, in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
), is a retired Australian squash
Squash (sport)
Squash is a high-speed racquet sport played by two players in a four-walled court with a small, hollow rubber ball...
player who is widely considered to be one of the greatest squash players in history.
He was ranked the World No.1 squash player from 1975 to 1980. He won the World Open title four times. He was the event's inaugural champion, winning the competition on the first four occasions it was held (1976, 1977, 1979 and 1980). He also won the International Amateur Individual Championship three times (1967, 1969, and 1971), and the British Open
British Open Squash Championships
The British Open Squash Championships is the oldest and most established tournament in the game of squash. It is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious tournaments in the game, alongside the World Open The British...
(which was considered to be the effective world championship event involving both amateurs and professionals before the World Open began) eight times between 1969 and 1981. Hunt won 178 of the 215 tournaments he contested during his career.
Hunt won the Australian Junior Championship in 1963, and he first won the Australian Amateur Men's Championship in 1965.
Hunt was known for having great determination. He ultimately suffered back problems, which curtailed his career.
After retiring as a player, Hunt served as the Head Squash Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
from 1985–2003, where he helped develop a new generation of Australian squash stars.
Hunt has been inducted into the World Squash Federation
World Squash Federation
The World Squash Federation is the international federation for squash, an indoor racquet sport which was formerly called "Squash rackets."It is based in Hastings in England. As of 2009 it has 147 member federations...
Hall of Fame and the Australian Sport Hall of Fame.
World Open final appearances
| Wins (4) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1976 | Mohibullah Khan Mohibullah Khan Mohibullah Khan is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the game's leading players in the 1970s, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2. He was runner-up at the inaugural World Open in 1975, and at the British Open in 1976, losing on both occasions to Australia's Geoff Hunt.In... |
7–9, 9–4, 8–10, 9–2, 9–2 |
| 1977 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
9–5, 10–9, 0–9, 9–4 |
| 1979 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
9-2, 9-3, 9-2 |
| 1980 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
9–0, 9–3, 9–3 |
| Runner-ups (1) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1981 | Jahangir Khan Jahangir Khan Jahangir Khan, HI, is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times... |
7–9, 9–1, 9–2, 9–2 |
British Open final appearances
| Wins (8) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1969 | Cam Nancarrow Cam Nancarrow Cam Nancarrow is a former squash player from Australia, who was one of the game's leading players in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the World Amateur Individual Championship in 1967, having finished runner-up in that competition in 1967 and 1971... |
9–5, 9–4, 9–0 |
| 1974 | Mo Yasin Mo Yasin Mohammed "Mo" Yasin is a squash coach and retired squash player from Pakistan. One of the leading players in the game in the 1970s, Yasin was a finalist in the 1974 British Open.-External links:*... |
walkover (injury) |
| 1976 | Mohibullah Khan Mohibullah Khan Mohibullah Khan is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the game's leading players in the 1970s, reaching a career-high ranking of World No. 2. He was runner-up at the inaugural World Open in 1975, and at the British Open in 1976, losing on both occasions to Australia's Geoff Hunt.In... |
7–9, 9–4, 8–10, 9–2, 9–2 |
| 1977 | Cam Nancarrow Cam Nancarrow Cam Nancarrow is a former squash player from Australia, who was one of the game's leading players in the 1960s and 1970s. He won the World Amateur Individual Championship in 1967, having finished runner-up in that competition in 1967 and 1971... |
9–4, 9–4, 8–10, 9–4 |
| 1978 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
7–9, 9–1, 9–1, 9–2 |
| 1979 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
2-9, 9-7, 9-0, 6-9, 9-3 |
| 1980 | Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman Qamar Zaman is a former squash player from Pakistan. He was one of the leading players in the game in the 1970s and 1980s. His biggest triumph was winning the British Open in 1975.... |
9–3, 9–2, 1–9, 9–1 |
| 1981 | Jahangir Khan Jahangir Khan Jahangir Khan, HI, is a former World No. 1 professional squash player from Pakistan, who is considered by many to be the greatest player in the history of the game. During his career he won the World Open six times and the British Open a record ten times... |
9–2, 9–7, 5–9, 9–7 |
| Runner-ups (2) | ||
| Year | Opponent in final | Score in final |
| 1970 | Jonah Barrington | 9–7, 3–9, 9–4, 9–4 |
| 1972 | Jonah Barrington | 0–9, 9–7, 10–8, 6–9, 9–7 |