Huge boost for Kiwi King ahead of Gold Coast Games
By ALAN THATCHER and SEAN REUTHE
New Zealand’s Joelle King has returned to the world’s top five for the first time since October 2014, rising three places to sit at No.4 after the PSA Women’s World Rankings for April were released today. It means that she will be the highest-ranked player competing in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast.
King spent 10 uninterrupted months inside the world’s top five in 2014 but slipped down the rankings after rupturing her achilles in the final of the New Zealand Nationals in August of the same year, eventually falling as low as World No.57 12 months later.
However, the 29-year-old Kiwi – who is seeded second in the Commonwealth Games singles event and first in both the women’s and mixed doubles events – has displayed some of her best squash this season. She has reached finals at the Macau Open, U.S. Open and Windy City Open, the latter of which saw her appear in a World Series final for the first time in her career, while she lifted the Cleveland Classic title in February.
King is the only non-Egyptian inside the top five, with Nour El Sherbini heading up the rankings ahead of World Champion Raneem El Welily and Windy City Open winner Nour El Tayeb, while Nouran Gohar stays at No.5.
Camille Serme sits at No.6 ahead of England’s Laura Massaro, who falls three spots to No.7, which is her lowest ranking since July 2011.
Massaro’s compatriot Sarah-Jane Perry moves up a place to No.8, while Malaysia’s eight-time World Champion Nicol David drops to No.9, her lowest ranking since January 2004. England’s Alison Waters completes the top 10.
Annie Au (No.11), Tesni Evans (No.12) and Olivia Blatchford (No.13) follow Waters, while India’s Joshna Chinappa moves back inside the top 15 to No.14, ahead of England’s Victoria Lust.
Australia’s Donna Urquhart drops two places to No.16, with Egypt’s Salma Hany rising to a career-high No.17 ranking. India’s Dipika Pallikal Karthik moves up two places to No.18, while England’s Emily Whitlock drops to No.19.
Egypt’s Mariam Metwally rounds off the top 20, rising three places to claim a career-high ranking.
PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – April 2018:
Pictures and graphic courtesy of PSA, and England Squash