Shabana Makes Breakthrough By Becoming Fourth Longest-Standing World No1

Egypt's Amr Shabana celebrates his 15th month at the top of the Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings, according to the new June list issued today (Friday) by the Professional Squash Association - and thus becomes the fourth longest-standing world number one of all-time.

After sharing 14 months at the top of the prestigious list last month with Canadian Jonathon Power and Frenchman Thierry Lincou, the two-times world champion from Cairo has pushed the pair into fifth place - now taking fourth position exclusively behind former greats Jahangir Khan and Jansher Khan from Pakistan, and England's Peter Nicol.

Amr Shabana won his first PSA Tour title in Mexico in 1999 and went on to amass 16 titles, including two World Open crowns (in 2003 and 2005).  He first topped the world rankings in April last year.

There is further cause for Egyptian celebration in the new list as teen sensation Ramy Ashour moves up to a career-high No2 in the June rankings - just 42 points behind his illustrious compatriot.

The 19-year-old from Cairo shocked the squash world in April when he won the two biggest titles of the year - clinching the $200,000 Sheikha Al Saad Kuwait Open trophy and then the $120,000 Qatar Classic in Doha within six days, to bring his title haul for the year to four!

Australia's World Open champion David Palmer slips to three, ahead of Frenchmen Gregory Gaultier, at 4, and Thierry Lincou, at 5, in an otherwise unchanged top ten.  
          
            1          [1]        Amr Shabana                EGY
            2          [3]        Ramy Ashour                EGY
            3          [2]        David Palmer                 AUS
            4          [4]        Gregory Gaultier            FRA
            5          [5]        Thierry Lincou               FRA
            6          [6]        Anthony Ricketts          AUS
            7          [7]        James Willstrop            ENG
            8          [8]        Nick Matthew                ENG
            9          [9]        John White                   SCO
            10        [10]      Wael El Hindi                EGY
            11        [12]      Karim Darwish               EGY
            12        [13]      Stewart Boswell            AUS
            13        [11]      Lee Beachill                  ENG
            14        [14]      Mohammed Abbas        EGY
            15        [15]      Adrian Grant                 ENG
            16        [16]      Peter Barker                 ENG
            17        [17]      Olli Tuominen                FIN
            18        [18]      Ong Beng Hee              MAS
            19        [19]      Mohd Azlan Iskandar     MAS
            20        [20]      Borja Golan                   ESP