Matthew Extends World No1 Lead
3 October 2011
Despite losing to Ramy Ashour in last month’s final of the PSA World Series ROWE British Grand Prix, England’s Nick Matthew extends the lead over his Egyptian rival at the top of the October Dunlop PSA Men’s World Squash Rankings, published today by the Professional Squash Association.
The pair contested their fourth successive World Series final this year in Manchester – but, having no ranking points from the 2010 event to defend, Matthew was assured of the No1 slot as soon as he reached last month’s British GP quarter-finals. Meanwhile, 2010 champion Ashour needed to retain the title in order to maintain his points total over the previous 12 months.
Egyptians Karim Darwish and Amr Shabana – the two beaten British Grand Prix semi-finalists – retain their third and fifth places, respectively, while Englishman James Willstrop separates the two at No4.
Rapidly-rising Egyptian Mohamed El Shorbagy moves up a single place to record a career-high eighth position in the new list. The UK-based 20-year-old clinched the fourth PSA World Tour title of his career at the Colombian Open last month – becoming the first Egyptian to win the long-established Tour title in Bogota.
And Omar Mosaad celebrates further notable Egyptian success in the top 20 by jumping to a best-ever world No13. The 23-year-old from Cairo celebrated only his second ever quarter-final appearance in a World Series championship when he upset France’s former world number one Thierry Lincou in the second round of the British Grand Prix.
Alister Walker, the former England international who now represents Botswana, his country of birth, also celebrates a return to the world top 20, at No20.
October 2011 top 20 (inc. points average):
1 [1] Nick Matthew ENG 1,414
2 [2] Ramy Ashour EGY 1,301
3 [3] Karim Darwish EGY 963
4 [4] James Willstrop ENG 799
5 [5] Amr Shabana EGY 774
6 [6] Gregory Gaultier FRA 700
7 [7] Peter Barker ENG 568
8 [9] Mohamed El Shorbagy EGY 510
9 [8] David Palmer AUS 433
10 [10] Thierry Lincou FRA 426
11 [11] Daryl Selby ENG 388
12 [12] Laurens Jan Anjema NED 387
13 [14] Omar Mosaad EGY 368
14 [13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar MAS 355
15 [15] Hisham Mohamed Ashour EGY 351
16 [16] Cameron Pilley AUS 340
17 [17] Adrian Grant ENG 328
18 [18] Wael El Hindi EGY 291
19 [19] Stewart Boswell AUS 278
20 [21] Alister Walker BOT 249
For full list – see www.psaworldtour.com