Nicol David Confirmed As World Number One

Nicol David Confirmed As World Number One

Today’s (Friday) publication of the January 2006 Women’s World Squash Rankings, issued by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), confirms that Malaysian star Nicol David has leapfrogged both Vanessa Atkinson and Rachael Grinham to become the new world number one for the first time.

The 22-year-old from Penang is the twelfth holder of the position since the rankings were first produced in April 1983, and the first Asian to top the list.

The accolade completes a sensational year for Nicol David, who first made her mark as a junior when she became the first player in history to win the world junior crown twice.   After winning the World Games gold medal in July, David went on to become the first home winner of the Malaysian Open title in the same month. 

In October, Amsterdam-based David won the British Open crown for the first time – and, immediately afterwards, the Carol Weymuller Open title in New York.  Then in Hong Kong at the beginning of this month, David clinched her position at the top of the New Year world rankings when she upset top-seeded Rachael Grinham in the final of the World Open to become the youngest ever world champion.

Vanessa Atkinson, the 29-year-old from the Netherlands who topped the world rankings for the first time this month, slips to two, while Australian Rachael Grinham, holder of the title for 16 months to November, drops to three.

Lower in the top twenty, two players celebrate career-high rankings on the eve of the New Year:  Netherlands player Annelize Naude, who celebrates her 29th birthday on New Year’s Day, moves up to 13; while England’s Laura-Jane Lengthorn, aged 22 from Lancashire, rises to 15.

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

For the complete WISPA ranking list, see www.wispa.net