Alison Waters climbs above England team-mate Laura Massaro
By HOWARD HARDING – Squash Mad Reporter
While Malaysian Nicol David and Egypt’s Raneem El Welily retain the top two spots in the April Women’s World Squash Rankings, Londoner Alison Waters leaps to No.3 to become the highest-ranked Englishwoman in the Women’s Squash Association list for the first time for more than five years.
David extends her unbroken reign as world number one to 105 months (since August 2006) – but Cairo-based El Welily has closed the gap behind the mighty Malaysian after beating David in last month’s Guggenheim Partners Windy City Open final in Chicago.
Waters achieved her seeding in Windy City – but unexpectedly burst through to the final of the WSA International 100 JP Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York in January after downing David in the quarter-finals.
The 31-year-old from London, a silver and bronze medallist in last year’s Commonwealth Games, now moves ahead of compatriot Laura Massaro for the first time since 2011.
Nour El Tayeb also has cause for domestic celebration after achieving a career-high world No.5 ranking in the latest list. The 22-year-old from Cairo, a surprise Windy City Open semi-finalists after taking out fourth seed Nour El Sherbini, overtakes her compatriot to become Egypt’s second highest-ranked player for the first time.
There are further changes in the England hierarchy following the two-position rise of Emma Beddoes to a best-ever world No.14 ranking. The 29-year-old from Leeds stunned Massaro to reach the Windy City quarter-finals against expectations – and now becomes the third highest-ranked English player for the first time.
WSA April 2015 top 20 (inc. points average):
1 [1] Nicol David MAS 3,590
2 [2] Raneem El Welily EGY 2,998
3 [5] Alison Waters ENG 1,540
4 [3] Laura Massaro ENG 1,425
5 [7] Nour El Tayeb EGY 1,337
6 [4] Nour El Sherbini EGY 1,225
7 [6] Camille Serme FRA 1,102
8 [8] Low Wee Wern MAS 1,073
9 [9] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY 980
10 [10] Amanda Sobhy USA 699
11 [11] Dipika Pallikal IND 655
12 [12] Annie Au HKG 648
13 [13] Rachael Grinham AUS 640
14 [16] Emma Beddoes ENG 628
15 [14] Sarah-Jane Perry ENG 603
16 [18] Nouran Gohar EGY 547
17 [17] Jenny Duncalf ENG 508
18 [15] Madeline Perry IRL 508
19 [19] Sarah Kippax ENG 505
20 [20] Nicolette Fernandes GUY 450
For the complete WSA ranking list, see www.wsaworldtour.com