WORLD SQUASH NEWS

White Narrows Gap Behind Nicol In New World Rankings

England's Peter Nicol retains his No1 position in the new December Dunlop PSA Men's World Rankings, announced today (2 December) by the Professional Squash Association (PSA), but Scotland's No2 John White has narrowed the gap to some 30 points behind the Englishman's average of almost 800.

Scottish-born Nicol suffered a shock first round dismissal in last month's Pace Credit Union Canadian Classic, while White claimed a semi-final berth.

The top six positions in the new list are unchanged, with Australia's world champion David Palmer remaining at three, Canadian Jonathon Power at four, Frenchman Thierry Lincou at five and Australian Anthony Ricketts at six.

Other changes in the final ranking list of the year contrast vividly with action in the Qatar Classic, the $120,000 PSA Super Series Platinum event currently being played out at the Khalifa Squash Complex in Doha.

Egypt's former world junior champion Karim Darwish celebrates a career-high 7th place in the new list - but was beaten in the first round by his country's in-form Omar Elborolossy, whose shock win over Nicol in Toronto sees him return to the top twenty at 18.

France's Gregory Gaultier makes his top ten debut at 10 - but he too failed to progress beyond the first round in Doha, losing to England's Mark Chaloner, who drops out of the top twenty (to 22) for the first time since February 2000!

Canada's Graham Ryding has moved up to 13, his highest ranking for almost three years - but went down in straight games to England's James Willstrop.  The world junior champion from Pontefract in Yorkshire, however, moves up six places to celebrate his top 30 debut at 28.

1 [1] Peter Nicol ENG
2 [2] John White SCO
3 [3] David Palmer AUS
4 [4] Jonathon Power CAN
5 [5] Thierry Lincou FRA
6 [6] Anthony Ricketts AUS
7 [8] Karim Darwish EGY
8 [7] Ong Beng Hee MAS
9 [10] Lee Beachill ENG
10 [12] Gregory Gaultier FRA
11 [11] Amr Shabana EGY
12 [14] Martin Heath SCO
13 [16] Graham Ryding CAN
14 [13] Joseph Kneipp AUS
15 [18] Paul Price AUS
16 [15] Mansoor Zaman PAK
17 [17] Simon Parke ENG
18 [21] Omar Elborolossy EGY
19 [9] Stewart Boswell AUS
20 [20] Alex Gough WAL

For full list - see www.psa-squash.com/