Women’s : Sobhy becomes first US-born player to reach World’s Top Three
Philadelphia-based Amanda Sobhy has become the first US-born player in history to reach the top three of the PSA World Rankings following the release of the women’s rankings for October.
Sobhy, 28, is the first US player to rank inside the top three since Natalie Grainger in November 2009 and enjoyed a successful September, winning her biggest event so far at the Oracle NetSuite Open and reaching the semi-finals of the CIB Egyptian Open. She is rewarded with a three-place jump to No.3.
She overtakes Camille Serme – who stays at No.4 – while Nour El Tayeb drops two places to No.5. Nour El Sherbini remains at No.1 ahead of CIB Egyptian Open runner-up Nouran Gohar.
Hania El Hammamy drops to No.6 ahead of Sarah-Jane Perry (No.7), Joelle King (No.8), Salma Hany (No.9) and Rowan Elaraby (No.10).
There is double delight for Team USA, with Olivia Clyne rising one place to No.11, and she sits a place ahead of Joshna Chinappa, who drops a spot to No.12.
Canada’s Danielle Letourneau also enjoys a move up to a career-high ranking of No.19, while USA’s Olivia Fiechter moves up two places to No.20, replacing compatriot Sabrina Sobhy inside the top 20, with Sobhy dropping three places to No.21.
Canada’s Hannah Blatt is the biggest mover on the women’s tour and has moved up 113 places to No.202 after reaching the quarter-finals of the Nash Cup as well as the last 16 of the GWC Squash House Challenger 5. Tamara Holzbauerová of Czech Republic has also enjoyed an impressive rise in this month’s rankings, moving up 106 places courtesy of a quarter-final finish at the Bremer Schlüssel.
Men’s : Farag becomes third longest-reigning male Egyptian World No.1
Ali Farag has recorded his 22nd month at World No.1, meaning he has overtaken the legendary Ramy Ashour to become the third longest-reigning Egyptian men’s World No.1.
Farag captured two titles in September – winning the CIB Egyptian Open in front of the Great Pyramid of Giza before following that up with victory at the Oracle Netsuite Open – and he is behind only Amr Shabana (33) and Mohamed ElShorbagy (50) in the list of longest-reigning Egyptian men’s World No.1s.
Farag’s victories in Cairo and San Francisco have seen him pull away from ElShorbagy, who remains at No.2. New Zealand’s Paul Coll (No.3) is the only non-Egyptian in the top five, and he sits ahead of Tarek Momen (No.4) and Marwan ElShorbagy.
Karim Abdel Gawad (No.6), Fares Dessouky (No.7) and Diego Elias (No.8) retain their places, while Welshman Joel Makin moves up a place to No.9, with Mostafa Asal heading the other way.
Elsewhere, Egypt’s Mazen Hesham moves up a spot to No.13, which is a joint career-high ranking and his highest since December 2015. Mohamed Abouelghar is also on the move as he rises two spots to No.14. Meanwhile, India’s Saurav Ghosal falls three spots to No.16 and Egypt’s Youssef Soliman enjoys a one-place increase to a career-high No.19 ranking.
As a result, Omar Mosaad drops a place and completes the top 20.
Nigeria’s Adegoke Onaopemipo is the biggest men’s mover this month, rising 330 places to World No.413. Meanwhile, Japan’s 16-year-old Yujin Ikeda has been rewarded with a 185-place increase to his ranking following a semi-final finish at the Dynam Cup SQ-Cube Open. He now sits at a career-high No.497 ranking.
