Rankings Jun 08

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04-Jun-08:
Palmer Returns To Top Five In New World Rankings

Victory in last month's Dunlop British Open has taken Australia's David Palmer back into the world top five, according to the new June Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings published by the Professional Squash Association.

Egypt's world champion Amr Shabana moves into his 27th successive month at the top of the new list, ahead of second-placed Frenchman Gregory Gaultier; England's James Willstrop close behind at three; and Shabana's fellow countryman Ramy Ashour at No4.

Former world number one Palmer affirmed his status as one of the sport's greats when he beat James Willstrop in a dramatic British Open final in Liverpool to claim the prestigious title for a fourth time. The rejuvenated 31-year-old from New South Wales, now based in Boston, USA, took his PSA Tour title haul to 22 - more than any other current player an the Tour.

Palmer, who has maintained an unbroken presence in the world's top ten since September 2000, now celebrates his 81st month in the top five.

Peter Barker, the English left-hander who achieved his second successive quarter-final berth in the British Open in May, moves back into the top ten to a career-equalling-high No10.

Laurens Jan Anjema enhances his status as the highest-ranked Dutchman of all-time by rising to a best-ever 16th place in the new list. The 25-year-old from The Hague celebrated his seventh Tour win at the Bluenose Classic in Canada in February.

Shahier Razik brings the number of nations represented in the world top twenty to nine - and becomes the first Canadian in the elite list since December 2006 by rising to a career-high No20. The 30-year-old from Toronto celebrated his 27th PSA Tour final appearance, and his 18th title, when he won the Talisman Energy Bankers Hall Club Open on home soil in January.

Of note, too, is the five position leap by Miguel Angel Rodriguez to a career-best No23 ranking. The 22-year-old from Bogotá has become the highest-ranked Colombian of all-time - and, at just 22, already boasts eight titles from 15 final appearances since April 2005!

1 [1] Amr Shabana EGY

2 [2] Gregory Gaultier FRA

3 [3] James Willstrop ENG

4 [4] Ramy Ashour EGY

5 [6] David Palmer AUS

6 [5] Thierry Lincou FRA

7 [7] Nick Matthew ENG

8 [8] Karim Darwish EGY

9 [9] Wael El Hindi EGY

10 [12] Peter Barker ENG

11 [10] Ong Beng Hee MAS

12 [11] Lee Beachill ENG

13 [13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar MAS

14 [14] Stewart Boswell AUS

15 [15] Adrian Grant ENG

16 [17] Laurens Jan Anjema NED

17 [16] Olli Tuominen FIN

18 [18] Cameron Pilley AUS

19 [19] John White SCO

20 [21] Shahier Razik CAN

Nicol David Stretches World Ranking Lead

Malaysia's Nicol David has stretched her lead at the top of the June Women's World Squash Rankings following her convincing victory in last month's Dunlop British Open, according to the list published by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

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 WISPA World Tour 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.

1 [1] Nicol David MAS

2 [2] Natalie Grinham NED

3 [3] Rachael Grinham AUS

4 [4] Natalie Grainger USA

5 [5] Tania Bailey ENG

6 [8] Jenny Duncalf ENG

7 [7] Shelley Kitchen NZL

8 [6] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY

9 [12] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro ENG

10 [9] Vanessa Atkinson NED

11 [10] Vicky Botwright ENG

12 [11] Alison Waters ENG

13 [13] Kasey Brown AUS

14 [14] Rebecca Chiu HKG

15 [18] Isabelle Stoehr FRA

16 [15] Madeline Perry IRL

17 [16] Engy Kheirallah EGY

18 [17] Jaclyn Hawkes NZL

19 [21] Sharon Wee MAS

20 [20] Samantha Teran MEX