Rachael Grinham Strengthens Hold On World Number One Ranking

Victory in last month's Seattle Open has strengthened Rachael Grinham's hold on top place in the  new October Women’s World Squash Rankings, announced today (4 October) by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), as the Australian marches into her 15th successive month in pole position.

The US event's runner-up Vanessa Atkinson, the world champion from the Netherlands, retains her second place in the list, ahead of third-placed Malaysian Nicol David.

Natalie Grainger, of the USA, overtakes Australia's Natalie Grinham to move into fourth place – helped by three WISPA World Tour final appearances by the American this year, including victory in the Vassar College Class of 1932 Open on home soil in February, and the disappointing recent run by the younger Grinham sister who has failed to achieve her seeding in three out of the last four events in which she has competed.

A trio of English players follow the top five – led by Linda Elriani at six; this weekend's Traders United Yokohama Open champion Vicky Botwright at seven; and 22-year-old Jenny Duncalf, who rises to a career-high No8. 

Duncalf claimed an unexpected place in the quarter-finals of the Seattle Open after upsetting Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy, last month's world No8, in the first round.  Kawy slips to nine in the new list.

Another England international is celebrating a best-ever ranking in the October list:  Alison Waters, the 21-year-old from London, rises two places to No16 after also making the Seattle Open last eight against expectations.  Waters exceeded her seeding position in all but one of the eight WISPA events she has played in this year.

     1      [1]        Rachael Grinham               AUS
     2     [2]        Vanessa Atkinson              NED
     3     [3]        Nicol David                       MAS
     4     [5]        Natalie Grainger               USA
     5     [4]        Natalie Grinham                AUS
     6     [6]        Linda Elriani                     ENG
     7     [7]        Vicky Botwright                ENG
     8     [9]        Jenny Duncalf                  ENG
     9     [8]        Omneya Abdel Kawy         EGY
     10    [10]      Tania Bailey                     ENG
     11    [11]       Jenny Tranfield               ENG
     12    [12]      Madeline Perry                 IRL
     13    [13]      Shelley Kitchen                 NZL
     14    [14]      Annelize Naude                NED
     15    [15]      Isabelle Stoehr                FRA
     16    [18]      Alison Waters                   ENG
     17    [16]      Rebecca Chiu                    HKG
     18    [17]      Fiona Geaves                    ENG
     19    [20]      Laura-Jane Lengthorn       ENG
     20   [19]      Pamela Nimmo                   SCO