Mohamed Elshorbagy opens 2015 on top of the PSA rankings

ToC title holder Amr Shabana back at number three at the age of 35
By Squash Mad Reporter

Egyptian Mohamed Elshorbagy has maintained his grasp on the coveted squash World No.1 slot for a third consecutive month to ensure he begins 2015 as the world’s highest ranked player.

The Alexandria-born powerhouse who is based in Bristol, England, topped the charts for the first time in his career in November 2014.

Aged 23, he remains narrowly in front of previous incumbent, Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, ahead of the first PSA World Series event of the year, the iconic J.P. Morgan Tournament of Champions, which takes place in New York’s Grand Central Terminal from January 16.

Four-time world champion Amr Shabana, the 35-year-old Egyptian winner of the 2014 Tournament of Champions, rises up to world No.3, his highest ranking since October 2010, leapfrogging England’s three-time world champion Nick Matthew in the process, while 2014 world champion Ramy Ashour retains his place at No.5.

Colombian Miguel Angel Rodriguez has become the first South American player ever to break into the elite top 10 list, rising four places from No.12 to No.8 following an impressive end-of-year run in which he reached the semi-finals in three consecutive PSA International events.

Rodriguez finds himself in between Egyptian pairing Tarek Momen, celebrating his highest-ever placing at No.7, and Omar Mosaad, who returns to No.9 after a 13-month spell outside of the top 10, with German Simon Rösner maintaining his grasp on the world No.10 berth.

Those movements mean that James Willstrop drops down three places to 11, moving out of the top 10 for the first time since September 2009, with Spanish star Borja Golan dropping five places to No.12, his first non-top 10 position for more than two years.

South African Stephen Coppinger celebrates his return to the top 20, securing the world No.18 position, while Frenchman Mathieu Castagnet moves up one place to No.13 after reaching the final of the AJ Bell British Squash Grand Prix in December.

PSA Rankings January 2015 – Top 20

RANK       NAME                    NATION      POINTS   UP/DOWN
1   Mohamed Elshorbagy       EGY            1385.000   =
2   Gregory Gaultier                FRA            1266.000   =
3   Amr Shabana                    EGY             843.500   ↑1
4   Nick Matthew                    ENG             830.500   ↓1
5   Ramy Ashour                    EGY             808.500     =
6   Peter Barker                      ENG             573.500    =
7   Tarek Momen                    EGY              491.000   ↑2
8   Miguel Angel Rodriguez    COL              457.000   ↑4
9   Omar Mosaad                   EGY              435.000   ↑2
10   Simon Rösner                 GER              429.000    =
11   James Willstrop               ENG              427.500   ↓3
12   Borja Golan                     ESP               422.500   ↓5
13   Mathieu Castagnet          FRA               368.500   ↑2
14   Daryl Selby                      ENG              367.500   ↓1
15   Marwan Elshorbagy         EGY              337.500    =
16   Max Lee                           HKG              296.500    =
17   Cameron Pilley                AUS               285.000   ↓1
18   Stephen Coppinger         RSA                279.500   ↑3
19   Karim Abdel Gawad        EGY               270.500    =
20   Nicolas Mueller                SUI                269.000   ↓3