Tesni Evans climbs to career-high 16 in the world
By ALAN THATCHER and SEAN REUTHE
Sarah-Jane Perry, who led England to the European Team Championship with a riveting win over France’s Camille Serme, has risen to a career-high position of No.7 in the PSA world rankings for May.
Welsh No.1 Tesni Evans, who steered her team-mates to a third place finish in Helsinki, has risen to a career high of world No.16.
Egyptian shot-making sensation Raneem El Welily’s runner-up finish at last month’s Orascom Development PSA Women’s World Championship has seen her rise two places to sit at No.2 in the new rankings, released today (May 1).
El Welily, the 28-year-old based in Cairo, became the first Egyptian female World No.1 in any sport back in September 2015 when she ended eight-time World Champion Nicol David’s unprecedented nine-year reign atop the World Rankings.
She moved back into the world’s top two for the first time this year courtesy of her run to the World Championship final three weeks ago in El Gouna, where she lost out to current World No.1 Nour El Sherbini, who lifted the biggest prize on the Women’s Tour for the second time in her career.
El Welily defeated France’s Camille Serme in the semi-final stage, with Serme staying at World No.3, one place ahead of British Open champion Laura Massaro, who fell to El Welily in the last eight, and two places ahead of the other semi-finalist, Nouran Gohar.
Malaysia’s David remains at No.6, while England’s Perry rises a spot to a career-high No.7 ranking. United States No.1 Amanda Sobhy, who is currently out with an achilles injury, Alison Waters and New Zealand’s Joelle King round off the top 10.
Elsewhere in the top 20, England’s Victoria Lust has risen to No.15, while Evans is one place ahead of Olivia Blatchford, who also sits at a career-high ranking.
Australia’s Donna Urquhart drops a place to No.18, with Hong Kong’s Joey Chan and Egypt’s Salma Hany Ibrahim completing the top 20.
Meanwhile, former World No.4 Omneya Abdel Kawy drops out of the top 20 for the first time since November 2012, falling from No.15 to No.21.
PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – May 2017.
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA