Raneem breaks into Top 5
Egypt’s Raneem El Weleily has made her debut in the top 5 of the new WSA Rankings that have been announced today. The 23 year old had a breakthrough second half of 2011, winning the Carol Weymuller Open and reaching the final of the Hong Kong Open. She started 2012 in equally formidable form by winning the Greenwich Open, beating New Zealand’s unseeded Joelle King in the final.
Just above El Weleily, England’s Laura Massaro has once again leapt above Ireland’s Madeline Perry to equal her highest ranking to date of no.3.
The two remain unchanged with Nicol David extending her reign at no.1 to 67 months whilst Jenny Duncalf stays at no.2 for her 23rd month in a row.
Natalie Grinham moves up a single place to no.7, her highest position since August 2010. Grinham won her 17th WSA tour title in January at the prestigious Tournament of Champions, a tournament making its return to the WSA tour after a couple of years. In the final she beat Indian star Dipika Pallikal, who this month has more reason to celebrate as she makes further history in her country by reaching a career high ranking of 14. As well as reaching the final at TOC, she also reached the semi finals at the Greenwich Open. Mexico’s Samantha Teran, a fellow Greenwich Open semi finalist, moves up 1 spot to 11 to equal her highest ranking to date.
Just outside the top 20, 16 year old Egyptian star Nour El Sherbini rises to 23 after reaching the semi finals of the Tournament of Champions.
There were further players who recorded significant career highs in the top 100 for:
NSC Series no.2 Champion Siti Munirah Jusoh at 39, Hong Kong’s Liu Tsz-Ling – a two time runner-up in January at 50, Australia Day Champion Sarah Cardwell at 55, Edinburgh semi-finalist Zephanie Curgenven at 83 and Pakistan’s Liberty Bell Champion Maria Toor Pakay up a massive 73 places to 89.