Nick Matthew has reclaimed his status as the top-ranked Englishman in the Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings after leaping to a career-equalling-high fifth place in the new March list published today (Tuesday) by the Professional Squash Association.

The 28-year-old from Sheffield has returned to sensational form after an eight-month layoff last year following shoulder surgery in January.  While his ranking slipped to a five-year low of 12 at the beginning of this year, Matthew was already reproducing the form which first took him into the world top five in 2004.

In addition to winning the British National crown last month, Matthew made the final in the three PSA Tour events in which he has competed so far this year – including the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions in New York where he was seeded 10, and last month’s Davenport North American Open where he was the eighth seed. 

The Yorkshireman celebrated the eighth Tour title of his career in January when he won the Case Swedish Open in Linkoping.

Egypt’s Karim Darwish maintains his position as world number one in the new list – ahead of compatriots Amr Shabana at two and Ramy Ashour at No4 – with Frenchman Gregory Gaultier holding onto third place.

There is further English success lower in the list where Alister Walker moves up to a career-best 16th place.  The Botswana-born 26-year-old from Leeds won the biggest title of his life last month in Canada at the Midtown Sanctuaire Open in Montreal.

Walker has joined fellow PSA Tour players Ramy Ashour, Frenchman Thierry Lincou and India’s Saurav Ghosal – who also celebrates a best-ever ranking, of 34 – as Squash Olympic Ambassadors to drive the sport’s bid for inclusion in the programme for the 2016 Olympic Games.

Pakistan left-hander Farhan Mehboob makes a welcome return to the top 20, thereby joining 18-year-old compatriot Aamir Atlas Khan in the elite group.

Egyptian teenager Mohamed El Shorbagy is also making mighty strides in the list.  The 18-year-old world junior champion from Alexandria raced from just within the top 100 to inside the top 40 during last year – and this month leaps a further nine places to an impressive best-ever 22nd place.

    1    [1]    Karim Darwish    EGY
    2    [2]    Amr Shabana    EGY
    3    [3]    Gregory Gaultier    FRA
    4    [4]    Ramy Ashour    EGY
    5    [9]    Nick Matthew    ENG
    6    [6]    David Palmer    AUS
    7    [5]    James Willstrop    ENG
    8    [7]    Thierry Lincou    FRA
    9    [8]    Wael El Hindi    EGY
    10    [10]    Peter Barker    ENG
    11    [11]    Ong Beng Hee    MAS
    12    [12]    Mohd Azlan Iskandar    MAS
    13    [13]    Adrian Grant    ENG
    14    [14]    Borja Golan    ESP
    15    [15]    Aamir Atlas Khan    PAK
    16    [18]    Alister Walker    ENG
    17    [16]    Laurens Jan Anjema    NED
    18    [17]    Cameron Pilley    AUS
    19    [19]    Stewart Boswell    AUS
    20    [21]    Farhan Mehboob    PAK

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