Mohamed ElShorbagy slips to No.3 behind Gaultier and Gawad
By SEAN REUTHE
Frenchman Gregory Gaultier has become the oldest player ever to top the PSA World Rankings at the age of 34 years and three months after this month’s Men’s rankings, released today (April 1, 2017), saw him overtake Egypt’s Mohamed ElShorbagy to eclipse the previous record set by Sarah-Fitz Gerald, who last topped the Women’s rankings in February 2003, by a single month.
Gaultier’s history-making rise comes courtesy of a sensational run of form that has seen him win three tournaments in succession, with last week’s triumph at the iconic British Open in Hull, which saw him win the sport’s longest-running tournament for a third time, following recent triumphs at the Swedish Open and Windy City Open.
“To be number one as well again at my age is an amazing feeling – it’s pure pleasure,” said Gaultier, whose run of 14 matches unbeaten is also the longest of his career.
World Champion Karim Abdel Gawad, who would have taken top spot had he made it to the quarter-final stage in Hull or if Gaultier hadn’t lifted the title, sits one place behind the Frenchman with just 24 ranking points separating the two.
Previous incumbent ElShorbagy has fallen to World No.3, his lowest ranking since September 2014, while his younger brother Marwan moves into the world’s top five for the first time in his career after reaching the final of the Windy City Open last month. British Open runner-up Nick Matthew is sandwiched between them at No.4.
Ali Farag moves up two places to World No.6, with former World No.1 James Willstrop dropping to No.7. Egypt’s Ramy Ashour, who topped the rankings for the entirety of 2013, sits at No.8, while Fares Dessouky moves to No.9 to mark the first time he has reached the world’s top 10, which is rounded out by Germany’s Simon Rösner.
Tarek Momen drops out of the top 10 to No.11, while England’s Daryl Selby and Paul Coll of New Zealand are both on the rise, moving to No.12 and No.13, respectively.
Spain’s Borja Golan, a former World No.5, moves back into the top 20 to sit at No.15, with Mohamed Abouelghar’s quarter-final finish in Hull, which saw him upset Gawad, seeing him rise to a career-high World No.19 ranking.
Former World No.4 Miguel Angel Rodriguez closes out the top 20 after dropping six places. Omar Mosaad, who began the season ranked at No.3, has fallen 10 places to sit at No.23.
PSA Men’s World Rankings, April 2017:
Picture and graphics courtesy of PSA