How it unfolded
Women's squash had run championships since 1922, but the first tournament to carry the name World Championship was held in Brisbane in 1976. Home favorite Heather McKay had already won the British Open 14 times running and was 35 that year. Her opponent in the final was fellow Australian Marion Jackman. McKay conceded just four points across three games: 9-2, 9-2, 9-0. That result wasn't surprising, since across her entire career she had lost only twice, both in 1962. After those two losses, McKay never lost again, an unbeaten run that stretched roughly 19 years. She completed 16 straight British Open titles through 1977, then won a second World Open in Sheffield in 1979 before leaving the court. On the men's side that same year, Geoff Hunt won his first world title in London, finally giving squash a World Championship on both the men's and women's sides.
Why it still matters
This is the starting point where women's squash left an informal championship structure behind for a proper World Championship. It's also the match that put an official record onto the most extreme dominance this sport has ever produced. McKay's career total of two losses has never been matched in any racket sport, and the careers of Susan Devoy, Nicol David and Nour El Sherbini who followed have all been measured against that baseline ever since.