Lee Beachill Keeps #1 Spot

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

[top Americas players]

Lee Beachill (l) keeps #1 and David Palmer is still #4 coming into the British Open photo © 2004 Debra Tessier

In the rankings calculated prior to last weekend's British Open, England's Lee Beachill maintains his lead at the top of the Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings, according to the new November list released by the Professional Squash Association at the beginning of the month.

The 26-year-old Yorkshireman from Pontefract became the fourth player this year to hold the coveted world No1 position when he succeeded compatriot Peter Nicol to the 'title' last month for the first time in his career.

Frenchman Thierry Lincou holds onto second place, while Nicol remains at three and Australian David Palmer at four.

Beachill lost in last weekend's British Open semi final to David Palmer, while #2 Thierry Lincou lost in the semis to #7 Amr Shabana, suggesting some possible shakeups for next month. There will be a big ranking event in Toronto prior to the next ranking calculation, with Lee Beachill, James Willstrop, Jonathon Power and Peter Nicol all in one half of the draw.

Top Scot John White moves up to five in the new list, while England's Nick Matthew and Egyptian Amr Shabana slip to six and seven, respectively.

After four months outside the top twenty, Malaysia's Ong Beng Hee - a former world No7 - makes a welcome return at 18. His compatriot Mohd Azlan Iskandar also has reason to celebrate: The 22-year-old from Sarawak, who beat Beng Hee for the first time in the final of the CAS International last month in Pakistan, leaps six places to a career-high world No22.

American teenager Christopher Gordon vaulted into the top postion among Americans with PSA rankings. Gordon, at #104, looks to be the first American to break into the top 100 in some time.

1 [1] Lee Beachill ENG
2 [2] Thierry Lincou FRA
3 [3] Peter Nicol ENG
4 [4] David Palmer AUS
5 [7] John White SCO
6 [5] Nick Matthew ENG
7 [6] Amr Shabana EGY
8 [8] Karim Darwish EGY
9 [9] Jonathon Power CAN
10 [10] Joseph Kneipp AUS
11 [11] Gregory Gaultier FRA
12 [12] James Willstrop ENG
13 [13] Adrian Grant ENG
14 [14] Anthony Ricketts AUS
15 [15] Omar Elborolossy EGY
16 [16] Mohammed Abbas EGY
17 [18] Dan Jenson AUS
18 [22] Ong Beng Hee MAS
19 [17] Renan Lavigne FRA
20 [19] Graham Ryding CAN

[complete rankings for November]

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

32 (31) Shahier Razik CAN
52 (61) Viktor Berg CAN
67 (64) Matthew Giuffre CAN
73 (72) Eric Galvez MEX
76 (74) Rafael Alarcon BRA
83 (81) Shawn DeLierre CAN
86 (84) Ian Power CAN
87 (85) Nick Kyme BER
88 (89) David Phillips CAN

and the top Americans:
104 (140) Christoper Gordon USA
128 (119) Beau River USA
132 (122) Julian Illingworth USA
135 (127) Preston Quick USA

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