Women lead the way

02-Jun-2010 - Squash Australia

New South Wales’s Donna Urquhart (pictured has risen three places to a career high 16 while Queenslander Rachael Grinham is back to number three in the world in the latest rankings issued by the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA).
With Kasey Brown steady at number nine, there are now three Australians firmly in the world’s top 20 and nine in the top 100.
Queenslander Lisa Camilleri’s wins at the Top End Open in Darwin and Black Knight Open in Perth during May saw her climb one position to 39, while Melbourne’s Melody Francis edged closer to the top 50 when she rose three places to a best-ever 55.
Malaysia’s Nicol David stayed at number one ahead of Englishwoman Jenny Duncalf, Grinham and Grinham’s younger sister Natalie, who now plays for the Netherlands.
In a very good month for Australian women, there were also career highs for Melbourne’s Sarah Cardwell (84), Brisbane’s Samantha Davies (95) and Hobart’s Maggy Marshall (101).
In the men’s rankings former number one David Palmer made it 119 consecutive months in the top 10 by remaining in 10th spot.
Yamba’s Cameron Pilley stayed at 16 with Canberra’s Stewart Boswell a spot further back at 17.
Englishman Nick Matthew leapfrogged Egypt’s Ramy Ashour into the top spot with Egyptians Amr Shabana and Karim Darwish in third and fourth.
Ryan Cuskelly, from Evans Head in New South Wales, was up one position to a best ever 43, while Brisbane’s Zac Alexander shot up five places to 73
Alexander, who won the Top End Open in May, has now risen 14 places in the past two months.

June rankings (last month in brackets):

Men

1 (2) Nick Matthew (ENG)
2 (1) Ramy Ashour (EGY)
3 (3) Amr Shabana (EGY)
4 (4) Karim Darwish (EGY)
5 (5) Gregory Gaultier (FRA)
6 (5) James Willstrop (ENG)
7 (8) Thierry Lincou (FRA)
8 (7) Peter Barker (ENG)
9 (9) Daryl Selby (ENG)
10 (10) David Palmer (AUS)

Australians

16 (16) Cameron Pilley
17 (17) Stewart Boswell
41 (41) Aaron Frankcomb
43 (44) Ryan Cuskelly
65(61) Scott Arnold
68 (65) Steve Finitsis
73 (78) Zac Alexander
86 (86) Matthew Karwalski
87 (87) Mike Corren
97 (91) Wade Johnstone

Women

1 (1) Nicol David (MAS)
2 (2) Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
3 (4) Rachael Grinham (AUS)
4 (3) Natalie Grinham (NED)
5 (5) Alison Waters (ENG)
6 (6) Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
7 (7) Madeline Perry (IRL)
8 (8) Laura Massaro (ENG)
9 (9) Kasey Brown (AUS)
10 (10) Camille Serme (FRA)

Australians

16 (19) Donna Urquhart
39 (39) Lisa Camilleri
55 (58) Melody Francis
63 (63) Amelia Pittock
64 (64) Zoe Petrovansky
84 (91) Sarah Cardwell
95 (102) Samantha Davies