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David Stays Top, But Duncalf Soars
Into Second Place
Two rare defeats in November have not removed Malaysia's Nicol David from
the world number one slot she has held uninterrupted since August 2006 - but her
English conqueror Jenny Duncalf leaps four places to a career-high No2 in
the new December Women's World Squash Rankings, published by the
Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).
It was following 18 defeats in a row over the previous ten years that Duncalf
beat David for the first time in the Carol Weymuller US Open in New York
early in November - and went on to win the title as the fourth seed.
But the 27-year-old from Harrogate was to repeat her achievement only two weeks
later in the Qatar Classic, the WISPA Gold championship in Doha, where
she recovered from 1/2 down to defeat the Malaysian superstar in five - and
again go on to win the title, the biggest of her career.
The Qatar Classic success rounded of a sensational month for Duncalf, who netted
three WISPA Tour titles in all, including the Soho Square Championship in
Egypt at the beginning of November.
Natalie Grinham,
who revealed that she is expecting her first child next year, holds onto third
place in the new list, ahead of older sister Rachael Grinham at four -
while USA's Natalie Grainger and England's Alison Waters slip to
five and six, respectively.
Fresh from receiving her WISPA Most Improved Player of the Year
award at the World Squash Awards in London at the weekend, Camille
Serme moves up a single place to No13. The position not only marks a
career-best ranking for the 20-year-old from Creteil, but makes Serme the
highest-ranked Frenchwoman for the first time, ahead of career-long rival
Isabelle Stoehr.
But the biggest leap in the top 20 is claimed by Egypt's Engy Kheirallah.
The 27-year-old from Cairo's quarter-final berth in the Qatar Classic and
runner-up finish in last week's Sharm El Sheikh Open - both against the
seedings and both including upsets over her higher-ranked fellow countrywoman
Omneya Abdel Kawy - see Kheirallah jump seven places to No14.
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|
Rank |
Prev |
Player |
Pts |
Ctry |
|
1 |
[1] |
Nicol
David |
2692 |
Mas |
|
2é |
[6] |
Jenny Duncalf |
1474 |
Eng |
|
3ê |
[2] |
Natalie Grinham
|
1469 |
Ned |
|
4 |
[4] |
Rachael Grinham
|
1324 |
Aus |
|
5ê |
[3] |
Natalie
Grainger |
1258 |
Usa |
|
6ê |
[5] |
Alison Waters
|
1256 |
Eng |
|
7 |
[7] |
Omneya
Abdel Kawy |
989 |
Egy |
|
8é |
[7] |
Madeline
Perry |
949 |
Irl |
|
9ê |
[9] |
Laura Massaro |
908 |
Eng |
|
10é |
[12] |
Vanessa Atkinson
|
516 |
Ned |
|
11 |
[11] |
Kasey Brown |
505 |
Aus |
|
12ê |
[10] |
Shelley Kitchen |
496 |
Nzl |
|
13é |
[14] |
Camille Serme
|
489 |
Fra |
|
14é |
[21] |
Engy Kheirallah |
473 |
Egy |
|
15 |
[15] |
Samantha Teran |
457 |
Mex |
|
16 |
[16] |
Annie Au |
456 |
Hkg |
|
17é |
[18] |
Jaclyn Hawkes
|
424 |
Nzl |
|
18é |
[19] |
Tania Bailey |
421 |
Eng |
|
19ê |
[13] |
Isabelle Stoehr |
419 |
Fra |
|
20ê |
[17] |
Rebecca
Chiu |
417 |
Hkg |
|
|
| 
