Laura Massaro at five as Nicol David slips to seven
By NATHAN CLARKE
Tesni Evans has become only the second Welsh female player ever to break into the World’s Top 20 following the publication of the first PSA Women’s World Rankings of 2017.
The January list sees her occupy the No.20 position as part of an elite group that also sees teenage Egyptian sensation Nouran Gohar start the new year as World No.2.
Evans, the 24-year-old from Cardiff, enjoyed the best performance of her professional career to date during November’s Wadi Degla Women’s Open, when she reached the semi-finals in Cairo, and her performances see her become the first Welsh player since Tegwen Malik in 2007 to rank inside the Top 20.
Gohar, meanwhile, who ended the Welsh player’s run in Cairo, overtakes compatriot Raneem El Welily to begin the year at a career high No.2 while another Egyptian, Nour El Sherbini, maintains her place atop the rankings for a ninth consecutive month.
One year on from topping the World Rankings for the first time in her career England’s Laura Massaro, the 32 year old from Preston, falls down to No.5 – her lowest ranking since 2015 – while her long time rival and former World No.1 Nicol David slips to her lowest position since November 2004 as she drops below American Amanda Sobhy to occupy the No.7 spot.
Elsewhere inside the top ten there’s upwards movement for England’s Alison Waters as the former World No.3 moves up one place to No.8 while Australian Donna Urquhart is the only other upwards mover inside the Top 20 as she climbs one place to No.19.
PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – January 2017
Picture and graphic courtesy of PSA