|
|
|
Jan 2009:
Nicol extends lead
With
an unprecedented lead over her nearest rival, Nicol David
tops the January 2009 Women's World Squash Rankings, thus moving
into her 30th successive month as the world’s number one player.
The 25-year-old Malaysian celebrated the best year of her career
in 2008, not only winning 10 WISPA Tour titles but also
extending her unbeaten Tour record to 53 matches since October
2007. Off-court, David became the youngest Malaysian to be
conferred a Datukship - the equivalent of a British knighthood.
David
heads an unchanged top four, with Natalie Grinham
(Netherlands) at two; her older sister Rachael Grinham
(Australia) in third place; and Natalie Grainger, of the USA, at
number four.
The honour of being England’s highest-placed player has changed
for the third time in three months as Jenny Duncalf
leap-frogs Londoner Alison Waters to reclaim fifth place.
Lower down the list, their compatriot Tania Bailey – the
former England number one who was out of action for much of 2008
following knee surgery - returns to the top 20 at 18 after her
first and only month outside the elite group this decade.
Samantha Teran is the only player in the top twenty to
celebrate a career-best position in the new list: The
27-year-old Mexican, who boasts five WISPA Tour title successes
in 2008, rises a single place to 16.
|

TOP
20 WISPA
JANUARY 2009 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3542 |
Mas |
|
2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1586 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1347 |
Aus |
|
4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1237 |
Usa |
|
5é |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
1003 |
Eng |
|
6ê |
[5] |
Alison Waters
|
965 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
875 |
Egy |
|
8 |
[8] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
874 |
Eng |
|
9 |
[9] |
Madeline
Perry |
761 |
Irl |
|
10 |
[10] |
Shelley Kitchen |
710 |
Nzl |
|
11 |
[11] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
684 |
Ned |
|
12 |
[12] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
631 |
Fra |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
609 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Vicky Botwright |
588 |
Eng |
|
15 |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
559 |
Hkg |
|
16é |
[17] |
Samantha Teran |
478 |
Mex |
|
17ê |
[16] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
473 |
Nzl |
|
18é |
[21] |
Tania Bailey
|
377 |
Eng |
|
19ê |
[18] |
Lauren Briggs
|
368 |
Eng |
|
20ê |
[19] |
Raneem El Weleily
|
365 |
Egy |
|
|
|
|
November 2008:
Vicky's final boost
It
may have been her last appearance on the WISPA tour, but
Vicky Botwright's sensational run to last month's World Open
final at home in Manchester has propelled her back to number
seven in the latest world rankings.
Also receiving boosts from their Manchester performances are
Madeline Perry - up five to 11, Jaclyn Hawkes - up
two to 16, and Annie Au - up seven to 21.
The loss of her world open title means Rachael Grinham
slips to number four, swapping places with Natalie Grainger.
New champion Nicol David, having won ten titles already
this year, takes her lead at the top to more than twice the
points tally of her nearest rival Natalie Grinham, who
the Malaysian beat in the Qatar Classic final last weekend.
A series of injuries have put Tania Bailey out of action
for most of the year, and she slips down to 17, having been
number five as recently as July. She does, however, make a
welcome return to action in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open
later this month.
|
TOP
20 WISPA
NOVEMBER 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3718 |
Mas |
|
2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1817 |
Aus |
|
3é |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1523 |
Usa |
|
4ê |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1254 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Jenny Duncalf |
1062 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Alison Waters
|
1002 |
Eng |
|
7é |
[12] |
Vicky Botwright |
998 |
Eng |
|
8ê |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
880 |
Egy |
|
9 |
[9] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
858 |
Eng |
|
10ê |
[8] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
761 |
Ned |
|
11é |
[16] |
Madeline
Perry |
746 |
Irl |
|
12ê |
[10] |
Shelley Kitchen |
728 |
Nzl |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
648 |
Aus |
|
14é |
[15] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
575 |
Fra |
|
15ê |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
565 |
Hkg |
|
16é |
[18] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
501 |
Nzl |
|
17ê |
[11] |
Tania Bailey |
492 |
Eng |
|
18ê |
[17] |
Samantha Teran |
461 |
Mex |
|
19 |
[19] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
392 |
Egy |
|
20 |
[20] |
Lauren Briggs
|
387 |
Eng |
|
|
|
|
PSA Rankings News |
October 2008:
Natalie reclaims Second Slot from Rachael
While Malaysian Nicol David has now held a firm grip on
the number one position in the Women's World Squash Rankings for
more than two years, second place has changed hands for the
third time in three months.
Natalie Grinham, who surrendered the No2 slot to her
older sister Rachael last month, reclaims the position
from the world champion from Australia to bring her total reign
as the world’s second best player to 20 months.
Natalie, the 30-year-old who became a Dutch national in
February, notched up her fourth final berth this year at
last month’s Forexx Dutch Open, where she lost David.
USA's Natalie Grainger retains her fourth position, ahead
of England's Jenny Duncalf at five.
But
Duncalf’s England team-mate Alison Waters continues her
relentless march up the rankings. In 11th place two months ago,
the Londoner leapt to eight last month, and now to a career-high
No6 in the latest list.
The 24-year-old claimed a surprise semi-final berth in the Dutch
Open after taking out Rachael Grinham in the quarter-finals.
Former world champion Vanessa Atkinson also has cause for
celebration: The ten-time Dutch National champion made it to the
Dutch Open quarter-finals in Amsterdam – and is rewarded by a
three-place rise to No8, her highest position this year.
A new name graces the world top 20 as England’s Lauren Briggs
makes her debut in the elite list. The 29-year-old from London
netted her fourth Tour title at the Carcassonne City Open in
France in May – since when she has earned places as a qualifier
in three successive WISPA Gold events, the Malaysian Open,
Singapore Masters and Dutch Open.
Meanwhile Tania Bailey slides a little further due to her
long term absence with a knee injury. The 28-year-old from
England has dropped to 11 – and hopes to be back in action in
November.
|

Rachael & Natalie swap back
TOP
20 WISPA
OCTOBER 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3039 |
Mas |
|
2é |
[3] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1917 |
Aus |
|
3ê |
[2] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1681 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1644 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Jenny Duncalf |
998 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[8] |
Alison Waters
|
922 |
Eng |
|
7é |
[10] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
848 |
Egy |
|
8é |
[11] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
836 |
Ned |
|
9 |
[9] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
829 |
Eng |
|
10ê |
[6] |
Shelley Kitchen |
822 |
Nzl |
|
11ê |
[7] |
Tania Bailey |
736 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Vicky Botwright |
651 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
649 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
566 |
Hkg |
|
15é |
[16] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
545 |
Fra |
|
16ê |
[15] |
Madeline
Perry |
489 |
Irl |
|
17 |
[17] |
Samantha Teran |
461 |
Mex |
|
18 |
[19] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
422 |
Nzl |
|
19 |
[18] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
398 |
Egy |
|
20é |
[21] |
Lauren Briggs
|
386 |
Eng |
|
|

Atkinson & Briggs on the up |
September 2008:
Rachael back to two,
Annie on the up ...
While
Nicol David maintains a massive lead at the top of the
women's world rankings, her nearest challengers h ave
traded places as the elder Grinham sister, Rachael,
overtakes sister Natalie to claim second spot.
The top three have been unchanged since February 2007, with the
Grinhams - who played each other in the most recent Commonwealth
and World Open finals, winning one each - occupying second and
third spots in the rankings, but Rachael's recent success in the
Alexandria Open earned her enough points to overtake Natalie by
a slender margin.
New
Zealand's Shelley Kitchen and England's Alison Waters
both move up to career highs at six and eight, respectively.
Outside the top twenty the biggest riser is Hong Kong's
19-year-old Annie Au, who moves up 16 places to number 30
on the back of winning the Australian Open and reaching the
semi-finals in Alexandria. |
TOP
20 WISPA
SEPTEMBER 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2940 |
Mas |
|
2é |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1858 |
Aus |
|
3ê |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1842 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1601 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Jenny Duncalf |
973 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[7] |
Shelley Kitchen |
866 |
Nzl |
|
7ê |
[6] |
Tania Bailey |
858 |
Eng |
|
8é |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
855 |
Eng |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
850 |
Eng |
|
10 |
[10] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
848 |
Egy |
|
11ê |
[9] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
836 |
Ned |
|
12 |
[12] |
Vicky Botwright |
725 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
647 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
613 |
Hkg |
|
15 |
[15] |
Madeline
Perry |
551 |
Irl |
|
16 |
[16] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
533 |
Fra |
|
17 |
[17] |
Samantha Teran |
473 |
Mex |
|
18é |
[19] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
437 |
Nzl |
|
19ê |
[18] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
398 |
Egy |
|
20 |
[20] |
Annelize Naude
|
388 |
Ned |
|
|
|
|
|
|
August 2008:
Nicol
overtakes
Fitz
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.
Mexican Samantha Teran also
celebrates a further career-best ranking - moving up a single
place to 17 after winning theLos
Angeles and
Mexican
Opens
last month,
making
four titles
this
year. |
TOP
20 WISPA
AUGUST 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3049 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1989 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1862 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1620 |
Usa |
|
5é |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
960 |
Eng |
|
6ê |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
937 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Shelley Kitchen |
866 |
Nzl |
|
8 |
[8] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro |
850 |
Eng |
|
9é |
[11] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
836 |
Ned |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
827 |
Egy |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Alison Waters
|
823 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Vicky Botwright |
750 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
642 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
582 |
Hkg |
|
15 |
[15] |
Madeline
Perry |
544 |
Irl |
|
16 |
[16] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
541 |
Fra |
|
17é |
[18] |
Samantha Teran |
473 |
Mex |
|
18ê |
[17] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
456 |
Egy |
|
19 |
[19] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
436 |
Nzl |
|
20é |
[20] |
Annelize Naude
|
404 |
Ned |
|
|
|
|
|
July 2008:
David's two-year stint
Malaysia's
Nicol David rounds off her second complete year as world
number one in the July
World Rankings.
The 24-year-old
from Penang scored a notable victory last month in Korea where
she won the Seoul Open in convincing style. The triumph
not only marked her sixth successive title on the
WISPA World
Tour,
but it also brought her career title total to 28 - ahead
of all her Tour rivals for the first time!
After first topping the world
rankings in January 2006, Nicol David began her unbroken
two-year reign as world No1 in August 2006.
David heads an
unchanged top seven, with Natalie Grinham at two; her
older sister Rachael Grinham at three; USA's Natalie
Grainger at four; England's
Tania Bailey
and
Jenny Duncalf
at five and six, respectively; and New Zealander Shelley
Kitchen at No7.
England's
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro continues her upward march to
register a career-high No8 ranking. The 24-year-old from
Preston in Lancashire boasts a remarkable record on the WISPA
Tour, having exceeded her seeding in eight successive events
since December last year.
Lengthorn-Massaro celebrated the fourth Tour title of her career
in April at the Irish Open in Dublin - where she was the
third seed - and went on to make the Texas Open final in
May, again seeded three. In June, seeded eight, she fought
through to the semi-finals of the Seoul Open in South Korea.
With compatriot Alison Waters
rising two places to No10, the July rankings show four
Englishwomen in the top ten for the first time in two years.
Samantha Teran
is also celebrating a career-best ranking this month. The
27-year-old Mexican won the Epstein Becker & Green Los
Angeles Open last week to extend her Tour record to 11
titles.
With only two losses in finals,
Teran boasts an 85% success rate - notably higher than any other
top twenty rival, including Nicol David (67%), Vanessa
Atkinson (61%), Rachael Grinham (59%), Natalie
Grainger (50%) and Natalie Grinham (41%).
|
TOP
20 WISPA
JULY 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3049 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1919 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1862 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1620 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1016 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
960 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Shelley Kitchen |
855 |
Nzl |
|
8é |
[9] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
|
834 |
Eng |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
827 |
Egy |
|
10é |
[12] |
Alison Waters
|
823 |
Eng |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
797 |
Ned |
|
12ê |
[11] |
Vicky Botwright |
773 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
670 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
588 |
Hkg |
|
15é |
[16] |
Madeline
Perry |
544 |
Irl |
|
16ê |
[15] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
541 |
Fra |
|
17 |
[17] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
469 |
Egy |
|
18é |
[20] |
Samantha Teran |
442 |
Mex |
|
19ê |
[18] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
436 |
Nzl |
|
20ê |
[19] |
Sharon Wee
|
415 |
Mas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nicol David Stretches World Ranking Lead
Malaysia's Nicol David has stretched
her lead at the top of the June rankings
following her convincing victory in last month's Dunlop
British Open.
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.
A runners-up finish in May's Subway Goshen
Open in the USA - her second WISPA Tour final appearance of
the year - sees the return to the top 20 of Malaysia's Sharon
Wee, at 19.
|
TOP
20 WISPA
JUNE 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2940 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1919 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1798 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1629 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1016 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[8] |
Jenny Duncalf |
949 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Shelley Kitchen |
857 |
Nzl |
|
8 |
[6] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
834 |
Egy |
|
9é |
[12] |
Laura L.Massaro
|
777 |
Eng |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
777 |
Ned |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Vicky Botwright |
773 |
Eng |
|
12ê |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
763 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Kasey Brown |
644 |
Aus |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
574 |
Hkg |
|
15é |
[18] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
515 |
Fra |
|
16ê |
[15] |
Madeline
Perry |
510 |
Irl |
|
17ê |
[16] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
456 |
Egy |
|
18ê |
[17] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
422 |
Nzl |
|
19é |
[21] |
Sharon Wee
|
415 |
Mas |
|
20 |
[20] |
Samantha Teran |
409 |
Mex |
|
|
|
April 2008:
David extends
World Ranking lead
Malaysia's Nicol David has maintained her lead at the top
of the April Women's World Squash Rankings. Victory in last
month's CIMB KL Open on home soil - where David notched up her
40th Tour final appearance - takes the 24-year-old from Penang
into her 21st successive month at the top of the WISPA list.
Natalie Grinham, who celebrated her maiden Tour
appearance as a Dutch player in the KL Open, holds onto second
place for the 15th month in a row after finishing as runner-up
in Kuala Lumpur.
Natalie's sister Rachael Grinham, from Australia, remains
at three, while American Natalie Grainger is at No4, and
England's Tania Bailey at No5.
Jenny Duncalf, runner-up in last December's Carol
Weymuller Open in New York, is the highest riser - moving two
places to a career-high equalling No6 to become the
second-placed English player in the list.
Hong Kong's Rebecca Chiu, who beat Duncalf in the KL
Open, also rises to a former career-best No13.
But two players celebrate best-ever positions in the April
rankings: New Zealand's Jaclyn Hawkes consolidates her
position in the top 20 by moving up a single place to No17 -
boosted by title success in last month's NSC Tour 12 No1 in
Malaysia.
After becoming the first Mexican to make the world top 20 in
February, Samantha Teran now moves up to 19 after
clinching her second WISPA World Tour title of the year last
month at the Windy City Open in Chicago.
Sharon Wee returns to the top 20 for the first time this
year - doubling the Malaysian content of the elite group by
returning to No20.
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
APR 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3154 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
2305 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1816 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1547 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1230 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[8] |
Jenny Duncalf |
880 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Shelley Kitchen |
872 |
Nzl |
|
8ê |
[6] |
Vicky Botwright |
870 |
Eng |
|
9 |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
859 |
Egy |
|
10 |
[10] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
815 |
Ned |
|
11 |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
763 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
|
701 |
Eng |
|
13é |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
619 |
Hkg |
|
14ê |
[13] |
Madeline
Perry |
599 |
Irl |
|
15 |
[15] |
Kasey Brown |
597 |
Aus |
|
16 |
[16] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
485 |
Egy |
|
17é |
[18] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
472 |
Nzl |
|
18ê |
[17] |
Annelize Naude
|
444 |
Ned |
|
19é |
[20] |
Samantha Teran |
416 |
Mex |
|
20é |
[22] |
Sharon Wee |
414 |
Mas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 2008:
Teran makes Top 20
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."
New Zealander Shelley Kitchen
also has much to celebrate in the new list - after jumping three
places to a career-best No7 ranking. After winning four WISPA
Tour titles last year, the 28-year-old from Auckland got her
2008 campaign off to a positive start by claiming the
Greenwich Open crown in January - the biggest Tour title of
Kitchen's 12 to date. |

TOP TWENTY WISPA
JAN 2008 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3057 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
2256 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1879 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1528 |
Usa |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1261 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Vicky Botwright |
905 |
Eng |
|
7é |
[10] |
Shelley Kitchen |
900 |
Nzl |
|
8ê |
[7] |
Jenny Duncalf |
889 |
Eng |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
808 |
Egy |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
795 |
Ned |
|
11é |
[12] |
Alison Waters
|
700 |
Eng |
|
12ê |
[11] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
|
650 |
Eng |
|
13é |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
597 |
Hkg |
|
14ê |
[13] |
Madeline
Perry |
594 |
Irl |
|
15 |
[15] |
Kasey Brown |
557 |
Aus |
|
16 |
[16] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
497 |
Egy |
|
17é |
[19] |
Annelize Naude
|
444 |
Ned |
|
18 |
[18] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
425 |
Nzl |
|
19ê |
[17] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
424 |
Fra |
|
20é |
[22] |
Samantha Teran |
404 |
Mex |
|
|
|
|
|
Jan 2008:
David
starts third
year at the top
Nicol David
begins
her third year as world number one, according to the January
Women's World Squash Rankings.
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.
Dutch interest in
the world top 20 is doubled by the return of Annelize Naude. The
31-year-old from Amsterdam rises two places to 19.
|
|
|
|
Nov 2007:
World Champion Grinham Still Behind David
Despite losing her title in last week's World Open in Madrid,
Nicol David has extended her reign at the top of the Women's World
Squash Rankings
With an average of 2,841 points, the 24-year-old Malaysian stays
ahead of second-placed Australian Natalie Grinham, who has a
rolling year average of 2,473 points. Yet, the new world champion
Rachael Grinham - who beat Natalie in the first ever world final
between two sisters - has been unable to rise from third place,
where she has 1,919 points.
However, the three players - and the remaining top women in the
world - are in WISPA Gold action this week in the Qatar Classic in
Doha, and thereafter in the WISPA Platinum Cathay Pacific Hong
Kong Open later in the month. David will need to avoid stumbling
to stay ahead of the Queenslanders and finish the year as world
number one.
Natalie Grainger, a semi-finalist in Madrid, rises to No4 in the
new list - the US champion's highest world ranking for more than
two years.
Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy celebrates a career-high ranking of 6 in
the latest list. The 22-year-old from Cairo - the youngest player
in the top 20 - has maintained consistent form on the WISPA World
Tour this year, achieving her seeded position in eight completed
events since picking up her fourth Tour title at the Dayton Open
in the USA in January.
New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen also achieves a best-ever ranking in
November. The 27-year-old from Auckland, who stole the Madrid
headlines last week when she ousted title-holder Nicol David in
the second round, rises to No9.
Three WISPA final appearances - including title success in the
Central Open in New Zealand in June - have taken Australian Kasey
Brown to a career-high world No15 ranking in the new list.
There is further Kiwi joy in the new rankings with the
reappearance in the top 20 of Jaclyn Hawkes at No19. The
24-year-old from Auckland was a surprise finalist in both the
Dayton Open and Irish Open earlier this year.
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
NOV 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2841 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
2473 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1919 |
Aus |
| 4é |
[5] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1253 |
Usa |
|
5ê |
[4] |
Tania Bailey |
1231 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
839 |
Egy |
|
7ê |
[6] |
Vicky Botwright |
820 |
Eng |
|
8é |
[9] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
733 |
Ned |
|
9é |
[11] |
Shelley Kitchen |
712 |
Nzl |
|
10é |
[12] |
Jenny Duncalf |
701 |
Eng |
|
11ê |
[8] |
Madeline
Perry |
676 |
Irl |
|
12ê |
[11] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
|
657 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
592 |
Hkg |
|
14 |
[14] |
Alison Waters
|
572 |
Eng |
|
15é |
[16] |
Kasey Brown |
523 |
Aus |
|
16ê |
[15] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
484 |
Egy |
|
17é |
[20] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
425 |
Fra |
|
18é |
[19] |
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
388 |
Eng |
|
19é |
[21] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
387 |
Nzl |
|
20ê |
[18] |
Sharon Wee
|
383 |
Mas |
|
|
|
|
|
August 2007:
David maintains
grip on top spot
Malaysia's Nicol David moves into her 16th month as world
number one, according to the new August Women's World Squash
Rankings.
Victory in last month's CIMB Malaysian Open on home soil has
extended the 23-year-old from Penang's lead ahead of second-placed
Australian Natalie Grinham, a surprise semi-final casualty in
Kuala Lumpur.
David's KL triumph marked her 20th WISPA title - and her 14th
successive Tour final since reaching her first World Open climax
in Hong Kong in December 2005.
The world number one will join her WISPA colleagues in their
ongoing pursuit of Tour silverware at the inaugural Singapore
Masters.
Natalie Grinham's older sister Rachael Grinham is at three in the
new list, ahead of England's Tania Bailey - runner-up in KL - at
four, and USA's Natalie Grainger at number five.
New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen leaps three places to a
career-high No10 in the new list. The 27-year-old from Auckland,
winner of the bronze medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne, clinched the titles in the two most recent WISPA Tour
events in which she competed - the North Shore Open in her
homeland in June and the Australian Open last month.
Compatriot Jaclyn Hawkes is also enjoying a best-ever
ranking this month after moving to 19 following an impressive Tour
run which included a surprise final berth in the Irish Open in
April.

Kitchen & Hawkes
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
AUG 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3048 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
2171 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1367 |
Aus |
|
4 |
[4] |
Tania Bailey |
1277 |
Eng |
| 5 |
[5] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1043 |
Usa |
|
6 |
[6] |
Vicky Botwright |
941 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
795 |
Egy |
|
8 |
[8] |
Madeline
Perry |
667 |
Irl |
|
9 |
[9] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
662 |
Ned |
|
10é |
[13] |
Shelley Kitchen |
593 |
Nzl |
|
11é |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn-Massaro
|
580 |
Eng |
|
12ê |
[10] |
Jenny Duncalf |
571 |
Eng |
|
13ê |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
561 |
Eng |
|
14 |
[14] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
524 |
Hkg |
|
15 |
[15] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
504 |
Egy |
|
16 |
[16] |
Kasey Brown |
496 |
Aus |
|
17 |
[17] |
Annelize Naude
|
387 |
Ned |
|
18é |
[19] |
Sharon Wee
|
385 |
Mas |
|
19é |
[20] |
Jaclyn Hawkes |
376 |
Nzl |
|
20ê |
[18] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
366 |
Fra |
|
|
|
|
April 2007:
KL
success
extends
David's lead at the
top ...
Roundup from Howard Harding
Victory in last
month's CIMB Kuala Lumpur Open strengthens Malaysian
Nicol David's grip on the world number one ranking,
according to the new April World Squash Rankings.
David,
the 23-year-old from Penang who is unbeaten now for more than a
year, begins her ninth successive month at the top of the
rankings - ahead of KL Open runner-up Natalie Grinham,
from Australia, at two, and her sister Rachael Grinham,
at three.
While England's
Tania Bailey and
Vicky Botwright
are
at four and five, respectively, in the new list, compatriot
Alison Waters jumps two places to a career-high No9.
The 22-year-old
from London has made steady progress since breaking into the world top 20 -
and followed her success of reaching the semi-finals at
December's Monte Carlo Classic by making it to the last four of
the Greenwich Open early in the New Year.
Lower in the list, New Zealand's
Jaclyn Hawkes celebrates a career-best 21 ranking after
reaching the final of the Dayton Open in January and
quarter-finals of the Burning River Cleveland Classic in the USA
last month.
Italian
Manuela Manetta, who won the Creteil Open International
in March to clinch her second WISPA title in three months,
jumps five places to an all-time high No28.
|
TOP TWENTY WISPA
APR 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2250 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1816 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1521 |
Aus |
|
4 |
[4] |
Tania Bailey |
1193 |
Eng |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
945 |
Eng |
| 6 |
[6] |
Natalie
Grainger |
779 |
Usa |
|
7 |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
769 |
Egy |
|
8 |
[8] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
642 |
Ned |
|
9é |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
590 |
Eng |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Madeline
Perry |
548 |
Irl |
|
11é |
[12] |
Jenny Duncalf |
539 |
Eng |
|
12ê |
[10] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
539 |
Eng |
|
13é |
[14] |
Shelley Kitchen |
531 |
Nzl |
|
14ê |
[13] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
512 |
Egy |
|
15 |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
473 |
Hkg |
|
16 |
[16] |
Kasey Brown |
401 |
Aus |
|
17 |
[17] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
399 |
Fra |
|
18 |
[18] |
Annelize Naude
|
356 |
Ned |
|
19 |
[19] |
Sharon Wee
|
305 |
Mas |
|
20 |
[20] |
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
297 |
Eng |
|
|

New high for Walters |
March 2007:
Bailey Back At Best
Ever Ranking ...
Roundup from Howard Harding
While Nicol David of Malaysia retains her world number one
ranking in the new March Women's World Squash Rankings, England's
Tania Bailey moves up to four to return to the career-best
position she first achieved exactly four years ago.
The 27-year-old from Lincolnshire was laid low for almost three
years following this career-high ranking, in what she has
described as 'a real rollercoaster experience' after first
sustaining a knee injury in a minor road accident. After surgery
on her knee, Bailey was troubled by a virus "which just wouldn't
go away".
The England international's ranking plunged to 19 before she was
finally able to resume her squash career and fight her way back to
the top. In 2006, after winning her maiden British National title
in February, Bailey picked her first WISPA title for more than six
years at the Vassar College Class of 1932 Open, then reached the
finals of the Malaysian Open and Hong Kong Open later in the year.
Australian sisters Natalie Grinham and Rachael Grinham hold
onto second and third place, respectively, in the new list, while
Bailey's England team-mate Vicky Botwright rises to No5, also
equalling her best-ever position.
Another
English player Laura Lengthorn not only makes her top ten
debut in the March rankings, but also becomes the third
highest-ranked Englishwoman for the first time. The 23-year-old
from Preston rises to 10, overtaking compatriots Alison Waters and
Jenny Duncalf who contested the British National Championships
final earlier this month.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Atkinson has fallen four places as a
result of losing her bumper haul of points from February last year
that now drop off. They included those from winning the CIMB Kuala
Lumpur Open, which is scheduled to begin in two weeks time - and
at which she will hope to do well to climb again.
Lower in the list, Australia's Kasey Brown moves up to a
career-best No17 ranking after reaching the final of the Mayfair
Lakeshore Open this month in Canada.
Playing
two events in February after slipping out of the top 20 for the
first time for four years was clearly the inspiration needed by
Isabelle Stoehr to revitalise her career. The 27-year-old
French champion won both events - the Mayfair Lakeshore Open and
Des Pyramides Open in her home country - to leap back to 17 in the
March list.
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
MAR 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2234 |
Mas |
| 2 |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1615 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1494 |
Aus |
|
4é |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1166 |
Eng |
|
5é |
[7] |
Vicky Botwright |
920 |
Eng |
| 6 |
[6] |
Natalie
Grainger |
797 |
Usa |
|
7é |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
744 |
Egy |
|
8ê |
[4] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
717 |
Ned |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Madeline
Perry |
694 |
Irl |
|
10é |
[11] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
576 |
Eng |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Alison Waters
|
574 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Jenny Duncalf |
524 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
502 |
Egy |
|
14 |
[14] |
Shelley Kitchen |
498 |
Nzl |
|
15 |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
459 |
Hkg |
|
16é |
[17] |
Kasey Brown |
399 |
Aus |
|
17é |
[21] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
375 |
Fra |
|
18ê |
[16] |
Annelize Naude
|
362 |
Ned |
|
19ê |
[18] |
Sharon Wee
|
321 |
Mas |
|
20ê |
[19] |
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
310 |
Eng |
|
|
 |
February 2007:
Natalie Grinham Celebrates Career-High World Ranking
Roundup from Howard Harding
Three
successive Tour title successes has taken Australia's Natalie
Grinham to a career-high No2 in the new February Women’s
World Squash Rankings.
Malaysia's Nicol David - the last player to beat the
younger Grinham sister, in the final of the World Open in
Belfast in November - retains her grip on the top position in
the list, celebrating her seventh month in a row at No1.
Natalie, from Toowoomba in Queensland, went on to win the Monte
Carlo Classic in December last year - then this year picked up
the Marsh Apawamis Open and Harrow Greenwich Open titles,
extending her unbeaten run to 12 matches and bringing her WISPA
World Tour title haul to 10!
Natalie overtakes her older sister Rachael Grinham for
only the second time. Rachael, who only once failed to get to
the semi-finals last year in ten Tour appearances, slips to
three, while former world number one Vanessa Atkinson
drops to four - her lowest position for three years.
Natalie Grainger also celebrates her best ranking for a
year. The 29-year-old from Washington DC - who will formally
become a US citizen in February - reached the final of the
Greenwich Open against the seeding, and rises to No6.
England's Alison Waters returns to the top ten at No10,
while compatriot Laura Lengthorn moves up to No11 to
become the fourth highest-ranked English woman for the first
time. In addition, Dominique Lloyd-Walter returns to the
top 20 at 18 to bring the English count in the top 20 to six.
|
TOP TWENTY WISPA
FEB 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2637 |
Mas |
| 2é |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1738 |
Aus |
|
3ê |
[2] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1503 |
Aus |
|
4ê |
[3] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1181 |
Ned |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1167 |
Eng |
| 6é |
[7] |
Natalie
Grainger |
890 |
Usa |
|
7é |
[8] |
Vicky Botwright |
860 |
Eng |
|
8ê |
[6] |
Madeline
Perry |
792 |
Irl |
|
9 |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
739 |
Egy |
|
10é |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
582 |
Eng |
|
11é |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
576 |
Eng |
|
12ê |
[10] |
Jenny Duncalf |
570 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
544 |
Egy |
|
14 |
[14] |
Shelley Kitchen |
536 |
Nzl |
|
15 |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
476 |
Hkg |
|
16 |
[16] |
Annelize Naude
|
420 |
Ned |
|
17 |
[17] |
Kasey Brown |
371 |
Aus |
|
18 |
[18] |
Sharon Wee
|
346 |
Mas |
|
19é |
[23] |
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
332 |
Eng |
|
20 |
[19] |
Tegwen Malik |
320 |
Wal |
|
|
|
January 2007:
Malik returns to Top 20
Little change in the WISPA rankings after a quiet December, with
Omneya Abdel Kawy and Jenny Duncalf trading places at 9 and 10,
while Wales' Tegwen Malik, on the back of her semi-final
appearance in the Monte Carlo Classic,
returns to the top 20 for the first time since September 2000.
The Welsh champion endured a near three-year layoff with a mystery
virus before returning to the circuit in 2003, when she quickly
regained a place in the top 30 which she has held ever since.
 
Tegwen's ranking
history, from SquashInfo |
TOP TWENTY WISPA
JAN 2007 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2637 |
Mas |
|
2 |
[2] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1476 |
Aus |
|
3 |
[3] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1238 |
Ned |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1235 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Tania Bailey |
1166 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Madeline
Perry |
800 |
Irl |
| 7 |
[7] |
Natalie
Grainger |
789 |
Usa |
|
8 |
[8] |
Vicky Botwright |
727 |
Eng |
|
9é |
[10] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
693 |
Egy |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Jenny Duncalf |
674 |
Eng |
|
11 |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
625 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
544 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
536 |
Egy |
|
14 |
[14] |
Shelley Kitchen |
510 |
Nzl |
|
15 |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
435 |
Hkg |
|
16 |
[16] |
Annelize Naude
|
420 |
Ned |
|
17 |
[17] |
Kasey Brown |
346 |
Aus |
|
18 |
[18] |
Sharon Wee
|
326 |
Mas |
|
19é |
[24] |
Tegwen Malik |
320 |
Wal |
|
20 |
[20] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
317 |
Fra |
|
|
|
|
|
December 2006:
David Stretches World Number One Lead
With almost twice the points average of her nearest rival,
Nicol David has further stretched her lead at the top of the
new December Women’s World Squash Rankings.
In a dramatic 95-minute final last week at the Ulster Hall in
Belfast, the 23-year-old from Malaysia successfully defended her
Women’s World Open
Championship title to stretch her unbeaten record to 33 matches
since March.
After a year outside the top two, Australian Rachael Grinham
reclaims the world No2 position from Vanessa Atkinson, pushing
the former world champion from the Netherlands down to third
place. The elder Grinham sister won the
Carol Weymuller Open (incorporating the US Open) in October,
then reached the semi-finals of both the
Hong Kong Open
and World Open.
Younger sibling Natalie Grinham, the runner-up in Belfast,
holds onto fourth place, while Tania Bailey becomes the
highest-ranked English woman for the first time after moving up to
No5.
Ireland's Madeline Perry – the local star of the World
Open, who reached the quarter-finals – moves up to a
career-best-equalling sixth position.
Former world number one Natalie Grainger ends an
eight-month absence from the top ten by leaping four places to
No7. The 29-year-old from the USA is fighting back after a
two-year period fighting injury and illness – and achieved her
best run in the World Open for more than four years when she
reached the semi-finals in Belfast.
Australia's Kasey Brown, the 21-year-old from Queensland
who made the last sixteen at the Ulster Hall unseeded, makes her
top 20 debut in the new list, at 17.
Sharon Wee also celebrates a career-high ranking. The
29-year-old from Malaysia, winner of two WISPA World Tour title
since September (the Berkshire
Open and Wah Cantt Open), moves up
to 18.
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
DEC 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
3057 |
Mas |
|
2é |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1650 |
Aus |
|
3ê |
[2] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1279 |
Ned |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1208 |
Aus |
|
5é |
[6] |
Tania Bailey |
1140 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[7] |
Madeline
Perry |
844 |
Irl |
| 7é |
[11] |
Natalie
Grainger |
789 |
Usa |
|
8ê |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
789 |
Eng |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Jenny Duncalf |
752 |
Eng |
|
10ê |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
734 |
Egy |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Alison Waters
|
592 |
Eng |
|
12é |
[13] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
592 |
Eng |
|
13ê |
[12] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
519 |
Egy |
|
14é |
[15] |
Shelley Kitchen |
474 |
Nzl |
|
15é |
[16] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
453 |
Hkg |
|
16ê |
[14] |
Annelize Naude
|
449 |
Ned |
|
17é |
[21] |
Kasey Brown |
350 |
Aus |
|
18é |
[19] |
Sharon Wee
|
326 |
Mas |
|
19é |
[20] |
Pamela Nimmo |
319 |
Sco |
|
20ê |
[17] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
315 |
Fra |
|
|
|
November 2006:
Nicol Extends her
lead at the Top
Following her success in October's Cathay Pacific Swiss Privilege
Hong Kong Open, Nicol David has extended her lead at the top of
the new November Women’s World Squash Rankings.
Victory over England's Tania Bailey in the final extended the
23-year-old Malaysian's unbeaten WISPA World Tour run to 22
matches - and five titles in a row.
Bailey, from Stamford in Lincolnshire, upset two higher-seeded
players in the Platinum event in Hong Kong to reach her unexpected
place in the final – and moves up to six in the new list.
Vanessa Atkinson, the former world champion from the Netherlands,
retains her second place, ahead of Australian sisters Rachael
Grinham and Natalie Grinham, at three and four, respectively, and
Vicky Botwright at No5.
Natalie Grainger, a former world No1 from the USA, jumps three
places to No11 – her highest ranking for seven months - after
reaching the final of the Carol Weymuller Open in New York.
England's Dominique Lloyd-Walter celebrates a career-high world
ranking in the new list. The 25-year-old from Harrow, who reached
the last sixteen in Hong Kong, moves up to 18.
On the eve of the first World Open to be staged in Belfast, Irish
star Madeline Perry rises a single place in the rankings to No7.
Seeded to reach the quarter-finals at the Ulster Hall in Belfast,
Perry was drawn to play compatriot Aisling Blake in the opening
round.
Blake, winner of her first WISPA title at the Subway Goshen Open
in Indiana, USA, records a career-best 44 ranking in the November
list.
In the new WISPA Under 23 rankings, which are also issued today
and feature more than one hundred players, Egypt's Omneya Abdel
Kawy is in top spot, ahead of England's Alison Waters.
|

TOP TWENTY WISPA
NOV 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2700 |
Mas |
|
2 |
[2] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1892 |
Ned |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1550 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1151 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
1104 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[7] |
Tania Bailey |
1089 |
Eng |
|
7é |
[8] |
Madeline
Perry |
854 |
Irl |
|
8ê |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
831 |
Eng |
|
9 |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
733 |
Egy |
|
10 |
[10] |
Alison Waters
|
631 |
Eng |
|
11é |
[14] |
Natalie
Grainger |
546 |
Usa |
|
12 |
[12] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
523 |
Egy |
|
13ê |
[11] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
518 |
Eng |
|
14é |
[16] |
Annelize Naude
|
487 |
Ned |
|
15ê |
[13] |
Shelley Kitchen |
464 |
Nzl |
|
16é |
[15] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
453 |
Hkg |
|
17 |
[17] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
363 |
Fra |
|
18é |
[19] |
Dominique Lloyd-Walter |
357 |
Eng |
|
19é |
[22] |
Sharon Wee
|
331 |
Mas |
|
20ê |
[18] |
Pamela Nimmo |
326 |
Sco |
|
|
|
August 2006:
David back on Top
July
was supposed to be the month which saw Vanessa Atkinson and
Nicol David's tussle for the world number one spot take in
two major tournaments - the
Qatar Airways Challenge
and the CIMB Malaysian Open.
But a back injury forced Vanessa to sit out the Challenge in
Hyderabad, which Nicol went on to win, and although she returned
to action in Kuala Lumpur she wasn't back to peak form, crashing
out in the quarters while Nicol once more went all the way, this
time in front of her adoring home crowd.
After winning seven WISPA World Tour titles in 2005, crowning the
year by securing the World Open title for the first time, the
22-year-old from Penang became world number one for the first time
in January.
Three months later, however, Atkinson reclaimed the title after
two successive final wins over the Malaysian. The Dutch star lost
her unbeaten record in 2006 at last week's Malaysian Open, and now
slips to No2 behind David.
So the world champion is back at number one, and with a sizeable
points lead to boot which could see her hold on to the coveted top
spot for a few months yet.
Tania Bailey's fine run to the final in Kuala Lumpur is
rewarded with a rise to number seven, while Linda Elriani,
who last month announced her retirement from the WISPA tour, drops
out of the top ten for the first time in eight years.
On the rise is Egypt's Engy Kheirallah, up to a career-best
of fourteen, and up one place to celebrate a first appearance in
the top ten is Alison Waters.
 |
TOP TWENTY WISPA
AUGUST 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1é |
[2] |
Nicol
David |
2265 |
Mas |
|
2ê |
[1] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1828 |
Ned |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1401 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1228 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
948 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
830 |
Eng |
|
7é |
[8] |
Tania Bailey |
820 |
Eng |
|
8ê |
[7] |
Madeline
Perry |
739 |
Irl |
|
9 |
[9] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
657 |
Egy |
|
10é |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
623 |
Eng |
|
11ê |
[10] |
Linda Elriani |
522 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
503 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Shelley Kitchen |
465 |
Nzl |
|
14é |
[16] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
445 |
Egy |
|
15ê |
[14] |
Natalie
Grainger |
444 |
Usa |
|
16ê |
[15] |
Annelize Naude
|
423 |
Ned |
|
17é |
[18] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
419 |
Hkg |
|
18é |
[19] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
391 |
Fra |
|
19ê |
[17] |
Fiona Geaves |
385 |
Eng |
|
20 |
[20] |
Pamela Nimmo |
341 |
Sco |
|
|
|
|
July 2006:
Still unbeaten on the tour this year, Vanessa Atkinson celebrates
her fourth successive month as number one in the July rankings.
The Dutch star, from The Hague, has won three WISPA titles this year
– and heads a star-studded field at the Qatar Airways Challenge in
Hyderabad in a bid to win her first trophy in India.
While Malaysia's World Open champion Nicol David holds onto her
position at No2, Australia's Grinham sisters swap the next two
places for the second time in two months – older sibling Rachael
Grinham returning to No3 and Commonwealth Games gold medallist
Natalie Grinham slipping back to four.
|
June 2006
Natalie Leapfrogs
Big Sis Rachael
For the first time in 100 appearances
in the WISPA rankings, Commonwealth Games champion Natalie
Grinham has risen above her big sister Rachael as the pair swap
places at numbers three and four.
Rachael first entered the list in July 1994, with Natalie following
just one year later.
They both rose rapidly, and have been fixtures in the top ten for
the last four years, with Rachael holding the number one spot for an
unbroken 16-month spell during 2004 and 2005.

Rachael's Rankings
Natalie's Rankings |
|
April 2006
Atkinson Reclaims
World No1 Ranking
A solid run of three titles from three events played so far this
year has taken Vanessa Atkinson back to the top of the new
April Women’s World Rankings.
The
30-year-old Dutch star first clinched the top sport in December –
then immediately lost it to Nicol David in January after the
Malaysian won the World Open at the end of the year.
But title successes since February in the Apawamis Open in the USA,
the KL Open in Malaysia and the Tournament of Champions in New York
– including two final victories over David and the milestone of her
20th WISPA title – have brought Atkinson back to the top of the pile
after a three-month gap.
Nicol David slips to No2, while Australian sisters Rachael
Grinham and Natalie Grinham remain at three and four,
respectively; and England's Vicky Botwright holds onto fifth place.
Victory in last week's Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open, coupled with
successes beyond her seeding in this year's Apawamis Open, KL Open
and Tournament of Champions, take Ireland's Madeline Perry to
a career-high No6 in the new list – a jump of three places.
|
January-March 2006
It's Number One
For Nicol ...
Following
her triumph at the World Open in Hong Kong, Malaysia's Nicol
David has become world number one for the first time in her
career.
David, who had not won a WISPA tournament for three years before
claiming the Kuala Lumpur Open in February, went on to capture a
further seven titles during the year, including the
Malaysian Open,
World Games,
British Open and
World Open.
David's rise brings to an end the one-month reign of the
Netherlands' Vanessa Atkinson, and Australia's Rachael
Grinham, who held the top spot for an unbroken 16 months, slips
a further place to number three. |
December 2005
Nicol holds on
at the top
Malaysia's Nicol David maintains her
lead ahead of Vanessa Atkinson at the top of the new March
Women’s World Squash Rankings, despite losing to her Dutch rival in
last month's final of the KL Open in Malaysia.
David, the 22-year-old World Open champion from Penang, moves into
her third successive month as world No1, with Vanessa Atkinson in
second place ahead of Australian sisters Rachael Grinham and Natalie
Grinham at three and four, respectively; and England's Vicky
Botwright in fifth place.
Atkinson, with two WISPA World Tour titles to her name already this
year, is seeded to add a third this week in New York, where she is
currently competing in the Bear Stearns Tournament of Champions
(results of which are not included in the March rankings).
USA's Natalie Grainger, a quarter-finalist in last month's KL Open
and Apawamis Open, moves up to No6 in the new list.
England's Jenny Duncalf – winner of the last WISPA event of 2005,
the Canary Islands Open, and the first of this year, the Greenwich
Open in the USA – celebrates a career-best world No7 ranking. The
23-year-old from Harrogate in Yorkshire also becomes the
second-highest ranked English player in the list for the first time.
Ireland's Madeline Perry, an unseeded semi-finalist in Kuala Lumpur,
continues her relentless surge up the rankings – rising a further
place to a career-high No9.

December 2005
Vanessa Vaults to Number One
Following successes in the
Monte Carlo and
Qatar
Classics this month, Vanessa Atkinson has ended
Rachael Grinham's 16-month reign as world number one.
Despite
Grinham increasing her points advantage last month, Atkinson's
victories have given her a massive 592 point lead at the top of the
rankings, which will give the Dutch star a massive boost as she sets
out on the defence of her world title in Hong Kong tomorrow.
Runner-up in Qatar, Vicky Botwright reaches a career-best
number five, becoming the English number one for the first time.
More to follow, but in the meantime, congratulations Vanessa, from
all at SquashSite ...

We could see another new
number one next month! |
November 2005:
Grinham Edges Ahead
At Top Of World Rankings
Australia's
Rachael Grinham moves into her 16th month as world number one
according to the new November Women’s World Squash Rankings -
joining Cassie Jackman as fourth on the all-time list.
The 28-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland followed her victory in
the Seattle Open in September by
winning the title in the first Hedonism II Open
last month in Jamaica, where she notched up her 21st WISPA World
Tour title.
World
Open champion Vanessa Atkinson, from the Netherlands, retains
second position, and Malaysia's Nicol David, who added to her
British Open triumph
in September by winning last month's
Carol Weymuller Open crown in New York, stays at No3. But
Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham moves up to fourth
place, swapping places with Natalie Grainger once again.
Lower
down the order, three players register career-best positions in the
November listing. Ireland's Madeline Perry, winner of the
Buler Challenge Cup and Irish Open earlier in the year, rises one
place to No11. England's Alison Waters leaps three places to
13 after surprise quarter-final berths in last month's Carol
Weymuller Open and British Open – while compatriot Laura-Jane
Lengthorn is the new No18 after also registering an unexpected
place in the last eight of the British Open.
A notable absentee from the latest WISPA world rankings is England's
Jenny Tranfield, who
announced her retirement in September.
The publication of the November rankings coincides with the latest
U23 ranking list, in which the top five players - Nicol
David, Jenny Duncalf, Omneya Abdel Kawy, Alison Waters and
Laura-Jane Lengthorn – also feature in the main list. |
|
|
|
WISPA Ranking Calculations

TOP
20 WISPA
JUNE 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1946 |
Ned |
|
2 |
[2] |
Nicol
David |
1932 |
Mas |
| 3é |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1092 |
Aus |
|
4ê |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1082 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
908 |
Eng |
|
6 |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
733 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Madeline
Perry |
712 |
Irl |
|
8 |
[8] |
Linda Elriani |
658 |
Eng |
|
9 |
[9] |
Tania Bailey |
629 |
Eng |
|
10 |
[10] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
564 |
Egy |
|
11 |
[11] |
Alison Waters
|
535 |
Eng |
|
12 |
[12] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
488 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Shelley Kitchen |
468 |
Nzl |
|
14 |
[14] |
Annelize Naude
|
451 |
Ned |
|
15 |
[15] |
Natalie
Grainger |
444 |
Usa |
|
16é |
[17] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
415 |
Usa |
|
17ê |
[16] |
Fiona Geaves |
408 |
Eng |
|
18 |
[18] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
387 |
Hkg |
|
19 |
[19] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
375 |
Fra |
|
20 |
[20] |
Pamela Nimmo |
368 |
Sco |
|
|
TOP
20 WISPA
APRIL 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[2] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
2034 |
Ned |
|
2 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
1935 |
Mas |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1613 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1161 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
945 |
Eng |
|
6é |
[9] |
Madeline
Perry |
770 |
Irl |
| 7ê |
[6] |
Natalie
Grainger |
765 |
Usa |
|
8ê |
[7] |
Jenny Duncalf |
731 |
Eng |
|
9ê |
[8] |
Linda Elriani |
729 |
Eng |
|
10 |
[9] |
Tania Bailey |
689 |
Eng |
|
11 |
[11] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
578 |
Egy |
|
12 |
[12] |
Alison Waters
|
547 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
480 |
Eng |
|
14 |
[14] |
Annelize Naude
|
471 |
Ned |
|
15 |
[15] |
Shelley Kitchen |
445 |
Nzl |
|
16 |
[16] |
Fiona Geaves |
431 |
Eng |
|
17é |
[18] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
408 |
Fra |
|
18ê |
[17] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
400 |
Hkg |
|
19 |
[19] |
Pamela Nimmo |
364 |
Sco |
|
20 |
[20] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
360 |
Usa |
|
|
TOP
20 WISPA
MARCH 2006 |
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2091 |
Mas |
|
2 |
[2] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
1974 |
Ned |
|
3 |
[3] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1632 |
Aus |
| 4 |
[4] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1163 |
Aus |
|
5 |
[5] |
Vicky Botwright |
942 |
Eng |
| 6é |
[7] |
Natalie
Grainger |
836 |
Usa |
|
7é |
[8] |
Jenny Duncalf |
767 |
Eng |
|
8ê |
[6] |
Linda Elriani |
725 |
Eng |
|
9é |
[10] |
Madeline
Perry |
686 |
Irl |
|
10 |
[9] |
Tania Bailey |
685 |
Eng |
|
11 |
[11] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
575 |
Egy |
|
12 |
[12] |
Alison Waters
|
560 |
Eng |
|
13 |
[13] |
Laura Lengthorn
|
466 |
Eng |
|
14 |
[14] |
Annelize Naude
|
461 |
Ned |
|
15é |
[16] |
Shelley Kitchen |
456 |
Nzl |
|
16é |
[18] |
Fiona Geaves |
445 |
Eng |
|
17 |
[17] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
400 |
Hkg |
|
18ê |
[15] |
Isabelle
Stoehr |
388 |
Fra |
|
19 |
[19] |
Pamela Nimmo |
372 |
Sco |
|
20 |
[20] |
Engy Kheirallah
|
355 |
Usa |
|
|

Devoy: 105 months at no 1

Martin: 58 months

Fitz-Gerald: 40 months

Jackman: 16 months

Grinham: 16 months
October 2005
Rachael Grinham Strengthens Hold On
World Number One Ranking
Victory
in last month's Seattle Open has strengthened Rachael Grinham's
hold on top place in the new October Women’s World Squash Rankings,
as the Australian marches into her 15th successive month in pole
position.
The US event's runner-up Vanessa Atkinson, the world champion
from the Netherlands, retains her second place in the list, ahead of
Malaysian Nicol David.
Natalie Grainger, of the USA, overtakes Australia's
Natalie Grinham to move into fourth place – helped by three
WISPA World Tour final appearances by the American this year,
including victory in the Vassar College Class of 1932 Open on home
soil in February, and the disappointing recent run by the younger
Grinham sister who has failed to achieve her seeding in three out of
the last four events in which she has competed.
A trio of English players follow the top five – led by Linda
Elriani at six; this weekend's Traders United Yokohama Open
champion Vicky Botwright at seven; and 22-year-old Jenny
Duncalf, who rises to a career-high No8.
Duncalf claimed an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the
Seattle Open after upsetting Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy, last
month's world No8, in the first round. Kawy slips to nine in the new
list.
Another England international is celebrating a best-ever ranking in
the October list: Alison Waters, the 21-year-old from London,
rises two places to No16 after also making the Seattle Open last
eight against expectations. Waters exceeded her seeding position in
all but one of the eight WISPA events she has played in this year. |
|
01-Sep-05:
Rachael Joins Top Five
World Number Ones
Whilst
the order of the top twenty might not have changed in the new
September Women’s World Squash Rankings, Australia's Rachael
Grinham moves into her 14th successive month in pole position –
and celebrates a breakthrough into the top five women's number ones!
The first women's world rankings were published in April 1983, when
Australian Vicky Cardwell ruled the game and headed the
maiden list. Since then, nine more players have topped the rankings
– with Cardwell pushed into fifth place of longest-serving world
number ones, behind England's Cassie Jackman (16 months at
No1); third-placed Australian Sarah Fitz-Gerald (40 months);
second-placed Australian Michelle Martin (58 months); and
runaway top-placed New Zealander Susan Devoy, who amassed a
total of 105 months as the world's number one from April 1984 to
February 1993!
But Grinham has now overtaken Cardwell to claim fifth position –
hard on the heels of the now retired Cassie Jackman!
However, the 28-year-old from Toowoomba in Queensland will have to
improve on the form she showed in July's
Malaysian Open, when she bowed out at the semi-final stage. The
October rankings will reflect the form of the players in next week's
PMI Seattle Open in the USA, where top
seed Grinham is expected to meet close rival Vanessa Atkinson
– the world No2 from the Netherlands – in the final.
Such is the tiny points gap between the pair that only a slight
stumble will see Grinham's 14-month reign come to an end.
Also likely to provide stern opposition for the Australian is
Malaysia's Nicol David, the world No3 who beat Grinham in the
Malaysian Open, but is drawn to face Atkinson in a semi-final
showdown in Seattle.
By contrast to the static senior world rankings, the new WISPA
Rising Stars ranking list for the Association's junior members
boasts a new number one, and four players rising to the remaining
positions in the top five! Egypt's Raneem El Weleily tops the new
list, ahead of No2 Charlie de Rycke (Belgium); No3 Lily Lorentzen
(USA); No4 Joshna Chinappa (India) and No5 Sally Looi (Malaysia). |
01-Aug-05:
David consolidates third spot
Nicol
David's home win in the
Malaysian
Open has consolidated her third position in the latest WISPA
world rankings.
While the 'Duracell Bunny' has opened up some breathing space
between herself and the two Natalies, Grinham and Grainger, there is
still a large points gap to bridge before she can challenge the top
two - despite holding the upper hand over both Rachael Grinham and
Vanessa Atkinson in recent meetings.
In a largely unchanged list, the biggest riser is New Zealand's
Jacklyn Hawkes, up from 55 to 44 on the back of her win in
South Australia. |
30-Jun-05:
Grinham Celebrates
Year As World No1
Australia's
Rachael Grinham celebrates her 12th consecutive month as
world number one in the new July Women's World Squash Rankings.
Grinham, 28, from Toowoomba in Queensland, took over the top spot in
August last year after winning the
Hurghada International
in Egypt - a title she retained last month.
The Cairo-based Australian went on to capture her second
British
Open title in a row in November - and this year, after securing the
Qatar Airways Challenge trophy in April, successfully defended her
Hurghada International crown to claim her 19th career WISPA World
Tour title.
"It
has been very important for me to retain the No.1 spot for 12
months. Although I haven't won all the tournaments in those 12
months it proves that I am still the strongest and most
consistent player.
"But the gap's not big at all. For the first time in a long
time the women's event is open to four or five players to win.
It used to be you always knew who would win or at least which
two players would be in every final.
"Now you never even know if the top four will make it through
to the semi-finals. I think it depends a lot on the draw ...
these days the standard in depth is so strong that you could
play Round 16 and quarter-final matches that are similar in
intensity to a semi-final or final, and considering we play
our next rounds day after day it can depend a lot on who has
had tougher matches en route to the final and who is left
feeling stronger on the day of the final."
Rachael Grinham
to Squash
Australia |
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