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Malaysian Nicol David has created a new world record for the
length of time a squash player has topped the world rankings after
marking her 106th month as world number one in the February
Women's World Squash Rankings published by the Women's Squash
Association.
The 31-year-old from Penang, who first headed the WSA list in
January 2006, overtakes the 105-month record set in February 1993 by
Susan Devoy, the four-time World Champion and
eight-time British Open champion from New Zealand.
David's phenomenal achievement is the latest milestone in a
glittering career which has included a record eight World
Championship titles, two Commonwealth Games gold medals
and four (quadrennial) Asian Games gold medals. This month
also sees Datuk David extend her unbroken reign at the top of the
world rankings to 103 months since August 2006 - 45 months ahead of
her nearest rival, Dame Devoy!
The record was saluted at last month's JP Morgan Tournament of
Champions in New York, where Tournament Chairman John Nimick
and Associate Director Beth Rasin presented David with a
congratulatory poster signed by the rest of the world's top players.
"Nicol's accomplishments place her among the greatest athletes in
history, and she has certainly elevated our sport,"
said Nimick (pictured above with David and Rasin) as he identified
other No.1 record holders, including golfer Tiger Woods (138
months), 400 metre hurdler Edwin Moses (132 months);
snooker's Stephen Hendry (108 months) and tennis player
Steffi Graf (94 months). "Nicol's
passion for the game and her desire to always be the best she can be
inspires us all."
WSA Chief Executive Tommy Berden praised the Tour's biggest
star: "To become number one in the world is
a unique and outstanding performance in itself, but to hold the top
spot for 106 months is simply astonishing.
"It's a fabulous accomplishment that deserves to be recognised and I
am delighted that the Tournament of Champions took the liberty to
put Nicol in the limelight for yet another one of her remarkable
achievements!"
Amr Shabana,
the four-time world champion from Egypt who headed the men's world
rankings for 33 months between 2006 and 2008, noted:
"I have known Nicol since she was 11 years old and,
even then, I knew she was special. What she has done in squash is
amazing ..... and she isn't done yet!"
David herself was characteristically modest:
"Being number one is something you have to earn every
day," said the Malaysian superstar. "For me, it is really about
playing the tournaments. Everything else is a bonus."
Whilst Raneem El Welily (Egypt), Laura Massaro
(England), Nour El Sherbini (Egypt) and Alison Waters
(England) retain positions two to five, respectively, 21-year-old
Egyptian Nour El Tayeb jumps two places to a career-high No.6
in the February WSA rankings.
England's 29-year-old Emma Beddoes, who notched her 15th WSA
World Tour final appearance in 2014, is also rewarded with a
best-ever ranking of 15.
February 2015
top 20 (inc. points average):
|
|
|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol David |
3,446 |
MAS |
|
2 |
[2] |
Raneem El Welily |
2,580 |
EGY |
|
3 |
[3] |
Laura Massaro |
2,145 |
ENG |
|
4 |
[4] |
Nour El Sherbini |
1,548 |
EGY |
|
5 |
[5] |
Alison Waters |
1,538 |
ENG |
|
6 |
[8] |
Nour El Tayeb |
1,182 |
EGY |
|
7 |
[6] |
Camille Serme |
1,158 |
FRA |
|
8 |
[7] |
Low Wee Wern |
1,063 |
MAS |
|
9 |
[9] |
Omneya Abdel Kawy |
944 |
EGY |
|
10 |
[11] |
Amanda Sobhy |
764 |
USA |
|
11 |
[10] |
Annie Au |
763 |
HKG |
|
12 |
[13] |
Rachael Grinham |
657 |
AUS |
|
13 |
[14] |
Dipika Pallikal |
632 |
IND |
|
14 |
[15] |
Madeline Perry |
683 |
IRL |
|
15 |
[18] |
Emma Beddoes |
555 |
ENG |
|
16 |
[16] |
Sarah-Jane Perry |
542 |
ENG |
|
17 |
[19] |
Jenny Duncalf |
540 |
ENG |
|
18 |
[17] |
Nouran Gohar |
528 |
EGY |
|
19 |
[20] |
Sarah Kippax |
520 |
ENG |
|
20 |
[21] |
Nicolette
Fernandes |
490 |
GUY |
|
|
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