WORLD SQUASH NEWS

White Tops Super Series Standings On Eve Of World Open

Scotland's John White, runner-up in last month's Qatar Classic in Doha, has risen to the top position in the PSA Super Series standings, published today (Friday) by the Professional Squash Association.  

The top eight players in the standings at the end of the year will qualify to play in the Brit Insurance Super Series Finals in London next May. 

The final Super Series event of the year - the $170,000 Bank Alfalah Men's World Open Squash Championship - gets underway in Lahore, Pakistan, on Sunday (14th December).

White, the 30-year-old world No2 from Nottingham, has overtaken England's world No1 Peter Nicol to head the list.  Top seed in the World Open, Nicol is expected to face White in the final on Sunday 21 December.

England's Lee Beachill, who beat Nicol and White to become the Qatar Classic champion for the first time, jumps three places to No4 in the latest list.  Compatriot and fellow Yorkshireman Nick Matthew, who reached the Doha semi-finals unseeded after toppling Australia's world champion David Palmer, leaps 14 places to 9th position - just one away from a Super Series Finals debut.

The four PSA Super Series events which have contributed to the standings to date are:  the Tournament of Champions in New York, the PSA Masters in Qatar, the West Edmonton Mall Canadian Open and the Qatar Classic.  The final list will be produced following the World Open in Pakistan.

The current top 16 list is:
1 (2) John White (SCO) 4,262
2 (1) Peter Nicol (ENG) 4,031
3 (2) Thierry Lincou (FRA) 3,700
4 (7) Lee Beachill (ENG) 3,356
5 (4) Jonathon Power (CAN) 1,856
6 (5) Anthony Ricketts (AUS) 1,531
7 (6) Ong Beng Hee (MAS) 1,406
8 (8) David Palmer (AUS) 1,375
9 (23) Nick Matthew (ENG) 1,218
10 (9) Joseph Kneipp (AUS) 1,125
11 (15) Adrian Grant (ENG) 1,031
12 (19) Omar Elborolossy (EGY) 968
13 (10) Graham Ryding (CAN) 881
14= (11) Paul Price (AUS) 843
14= (11) Gregory Gaultier (FRA) 843
16 (13) Karim Darwish (EGY) 781