In Quiet Month, Unchanged World Men's Order

Aug 1, 2004 by Howard Harding © 2004
match sequence © 2004 Debra Tessier

[top Americas players]

Lee Beachill (l) moves to #2 while Peter Nicol retains #1, photo © 2004 Debra Tessier

England's Peter Nicol heads an unchanged world top twenty according to the new August Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings, announced today (30 July) by the Professional Squash Association (PSA) - but three major PSA Tour events over the next seven weeks are certain to signal the end of the deadlock.

Nicol, who first became world No1 in February 1998 and is now in his fourth successive month of his sixth period at the top, maintains his lead over compatriot Lee Beachill, the Yorkshireman who is ahead of France's Thierry Lincou at three.

Four different nationals claim the next four positions - Australian David Palmer at four, Scot John White at five, Canadian Jonathon Power at six and Egypt's world champion Amr Shabana at seven - while England's Nick Matthew holds onto his career-high world No8 position.

Nicol and Beachill are seeded to meet in the final of next month's Mamut English Open. The $45,000 Four Star PSA Tour event, from 11-15 August, is in its second year at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield - famous for its staging of the World Snooker Championships - and is promoted by Eventis, an event management company run by the world No1.

Two weeks later, the world's top 24 players - and more - will converge on Hong Kong for the traditional season-opener, the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open. The popular $120,000 Super Series Platinum event returns to the world circuit after being a casualty of SARS in 2003. Defending champion Peter Nicol is seeded to reach his sixth final and win the title for a fourth time.

The US Open will attract the world's best to Boston from 17-21 September. The $52,500 Five Star event will see champion Nicol chasing his fifth title after winning his first in 1994.

1 [1] Peter Nicol ENG
2 [2] Lee Beachill ENG
3 [3] Thierry Lincou FRA
4 [4] David Palmer AUS
5 [5] John White SCO
6 [6] Jonathon Power CAN
7 [7] Amr Shabana EGY
8 [8] Nick Matthew ENG
9 [9] Karim Darwish EGY
10 [10] Gregory Gaultier FRA
11 [11] Joseph Kneipp AUS
12 [12] Anthony Ricketts AUS
13 [13] James Willstrop ENG
14 [14] Omar Elborolossy EGY
15 [15] Mohammed Abbas EGY
16 [16] Adrian Grant ENG
17 [17] Graham Ryding CAN
18 [18] Renan Lavigne FRA
19 [19] Mark Chaloner ENG
20 [20] Mansoor Zaman PAK

Other Players from the Americas in the top 100 (Aug 1 2004):

31 (31) Shahier Razik CAN
54 (58) Viktor Berg CAN
61 (64) Matthew Giuffre CAN
70 (73) Eric Galvez MEX
79 (70) Rafael Alarcon BRA
81 (78) Shawn DeLierre CAN
84 (84) Ian Power CAN
85 (83) Nick Kyme BER
91 (92) David Phillips CAN

and the top Americans:
129 (135) Dylan Patterson USA
132 (128) Beau River USA
135 (127) Preston Quick USA
141 (147) Julian Illingworth USA

[complete rankings for June]

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