A month after completing her second full year as world number one, Malaysia's Nicol David now marks her 25th successive month at the top of the August Women's World Rankings - thereby overtaking Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald to establish the third-longest unbroken run in the history of the WISPA rankings.

Fitz-Gerald, the record five-time World Open champion from Melbourne, topped the rankings unchallenged for 24 months from November 1996 to October 1998 - and went on to achieve a total of 40 months as world number one before retiring five years ago.

Nicol David now has only New Zealander Susan Devoy and Australia's Michelle Martin in her sights - Martin having notched up 44 successive months as number one from March 1993, following a 58-month run by Devoy from May 1988!

The 24-year-old from Penang continues to set the pace - in July winning the CIMB Malaysian Open for the fourth year in a row to claim the seventh Tour title in succession, and the 29th WISPA trophy of her career.

"Nicol reaching this milestone is a sign of the champion she is and a hint of the champion yet to come," said Sarah Fitz-Gerald on hearing the Malaysian's latest achievement.

David heads an unchanged top four, with Natalie Grinham at two; her older sister Rachael Grinham at three and USA's Natalie Grainger at four.

However, Jenny Duncalf celebrates a career-high world number five ranking in the new list - becoming the highest-ranked English woman for the first time.  The 25-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire reached her maiden British Open final in May and went on to claim quarter-final berths in both the Seoul Open in Korea and last month's Malaysian Open in KL.

Nicol David Stretches World Ranking Lead

The 24-year-old from Penang celebrated her fourth successive appearance in the women's final in Liverpool - her straight games win over surprise English opponent Jenny Duncalf marking up her third title and the 27th trophy of her career.

David heads an unchanged top five, with Natalie Grinham at two; her older sister Rachael Grinham at three; USA's Natalie Grainger at four; and England's Tania Bailey at five.

But Jenny Duncalf jumps two places to a career-equalling-high No6 after her maiden British Open runners-up finish, as fifth seed.

Duncalf's England team-mate Laura Lengthorn-Massaro also has much to celebrate - after leaping three places to a best-ever ninth place in the list.  The 24-year-old from Lancashire, who followed her surprise quarter-final British Open finish by making it to the Texas Open final last month, overtakes her county colleague Vicky Botwright, who slips to 11, for the first time.

Another three-place riser is Isabelle Stoehr, who moves to 15 and celebrates her highest ranking for more than two years.  The 28-year-old from France enjoyed one of the best runs of her career in Liverpool when she reached the British Open semi-finals as a qualifier.

In a breakthrough new Women's World Squash Rankings for February, the number of countries represented by players in the top 20 rises to an all-time high of 11.

While Nicol David, of Malaysia, retains the number one position - extending her unbroken reign at the top to 19 months - Samantha Teran makes her debut in the top 20 to become the first ever Mexican to feature in the elite women's list. 

The 26-year-old from Mexico City, a three times Pan American champion, has made significant strides  over recent months - winning the Southport Open and Toronto Open in North America last year, and striking success in the Liberty Bell Open last month in Philadelphia, USA, to bring her Tour haul to eight titles.

The countries represented in the world top 20 now feature Malaysia, Australia, USA, England, New Zealand, Egypt, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Ireland, France and Mexico.

"It's wonderful to welcome Samantha - and Mexico - into our world top 20 for the first time and see the growing impact of women's squash around the world," said WISPA Chief Executive Andrew Shelley.  "With new women's events recently in new squash nations such as Iceland, Portugal, Iran, China and South Korea, we will soon be looking forward to extending even further our reach of top 20 players from our ever-increasing international membership."

The 24-year-old Malaysian first topped the list in January 2006 - and now moves into her 18th successive month as No1.  David enjoyed the best year of her career in 2007, winning eight WISPA titles from ten final appearances, despite the World Open eluding her grasp.

Recognised within the sport as the WISPA Player of the Year last month for the third year in a row, Nicol David achieved perhaps her most notable accolade at the end of 2007 when voted Asian  Sportswoman of the Year in the inaugural awards launched by the Asian Sports Press Union.

Australia's Grinham sisters are behind David - Netherlands-based Natalie Grinham at two, and the 2007 British Open and World Open champion Rachael Grinham, based in Cairo, in third place.

Natalie Grinham finished the year on a high - avenging her defeat by Rachael in October's Madrid World Open final to beat her older sibling in the climax of the Monte Carlo Classic in Monaco in December.

It was the 29-year-old Queenslander's first WISPA Tour title success since capturing the $50,000 Seoul Open crown in South Korea in April.

"After winning in Seoul, I hurt my foot, and then later on my wrist," said Grinham junior after her Classic triumph. "I am still having treatment for that and getting a little pain.  But though I am not quite 100%, I am well on the way."

Natalie Grainger holds onto fourth position in the New Year list as she celebrates the beginning of her tenth year in the world top ten.  The 30-year-old made her top ten debut in January 1999 as a South African, converting to English allegiance later in the year. 

But this year, Washington DC-based Grainger cemented her status as a US citizen by winning the US National title, the Pan American Games gold medal, as well as five WISPA titles on her new 'home' soil.

English players occupy the next three positions - with Lincolnshire's Tania Bailey at No5; Manchester's Vicky Botwright at No6; and Yorkshire's Jenny Duncalf at No7.  Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy rises one place to No8.  There is English movement just outside the top ten where Laura Lengthorn-Massaro overtakes fellow countrywoman Alison Waters to move into 11th place.

Holding her place at No16 in the new list is Engy Kheirallah, the 26-year-old Egyptian who married compatriot Karim Darwish, the world No8, last month.