Due to an error which incorrectly calculated the April PSA Women’s World Rankings earlier today, the Professional Squash Association (PSA) has issued an update following a further recalculation.
By ALAN THATCHER – Squash Mad Editor
Philadelphia-based Amanda Sobhy has become the first US-born player in history to reach the top five of the PSA World Rankings after the women’s rankings for April were released today (April 1).
Sobhy, 27, reached her third major PSA World Tour final when she finished as runner-up at the CIB PSA Black Ball Squash Open last month and that run to the title decider has seen her move up two places in the rankings to reach No.5 and write her name into the history books.
Sobhy becomes the first US player to feature inside the top five since Natalie Grainger in January 2010. It’s also Sobhy’s highest World Ranking since a ruptured Achilles sustained in March 2017 saw her spend almost a year out of the sport, which saw her ranking plummet as she fell as low as World No.30.
Sobhy switches places with Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy, while Nour El Sherbini stays at World No.1 for a sixth successive month. She is followed by Nouran Gohar (No.2), Camille Serme (No.3), Nour El Tayeb (No.4) and Sarah-Jane Perry (No.6)
New Zealand’s Joelle King stays at No.8 ahead of Salma Hany, who moves up a place to a career-high No.9 ranking, and Tesni Evans, who completes the top 10.
India’s Joshna Chinappa stays at No.11, while USA’s Olivia Blatchford Clyne moves up a place to match her career-best ranking of No.12. Nele Gilis moves the other way down to No.13, while Rowan Elaraby and Alison Waters round off the top 15.
Yathreb Adel drops to No.16, while Belgium’s Tinne Gilis rises to a career-best ranking of No.17. Nadine Shahin drops to No.18, but there is a rise up the rankings for Canada’s Hollie Naughton, who reaches a career high of No.19. Sabrina Sobhy is the final member of the world’s top 20.
In terms of the biggest mover, Hong Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk has risen 159 places to No.215 after reaching the semi-finals of the Chairman Cup in March. New Zealand’s Kaitlyn Watts has also enjoyed a rapid rise up the rankings, moving 145 spots to No.229 after claiming her first PSA title at the Royal Oak Open, which marked her first appearance on the PSA Tour since 2019.
PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 6 – April 2021.
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA