SquashTalk >Rankings section > WISPA Jan 1, 2005 Rankings
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Atkinson Lurks Close to Grinham at #2
London, Dec 31, 2004 by Howard Harding © 2004, photos © Debra Tessier and SquashTalk © 2004
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SQUASH
TALK WOMEN'S NEWS | |
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| Rachael Grinham (right) still #1 but Vanessa Atkinson, World Champion, is on her heels at #2 © 2004 Fritz Borchert |
Atkinson
Powers To No2 In New Year World Rankings
Australia's
Rachael Grinham begins the New Year at the top of the Women's World Squash
Rankings, according to the January 2005 list announced today (Thursday)
by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), but
Netherlands' star Vanessa Atkinson climbs to a career-high No2 after winning
the World Open title in Malaysia earlier this month. Atkinson stand only
300 points behind Grinham as the new year begins, and she has been the
hottest player on tour for the past four months.
Grinham, 27, from Toowoomba in Queensland, succeeded England's Cassie Jackman as world No1 in August and now moves into her sixth successive month at the top. Atkinson, the 28-year-old from The Hague who spent most of last year at three in the rankings, enjoyed a sensational run on the WISPA World Tour in 2004, reaching eight finals and claiming the trophies in all eight!
Cassie Jackman's unexpected retirement this month has enabled Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham to rise to a best-ever third place in the new list - the Toowoomba twosome becoming the first ever sisters to share world top three rankings at the same time. Netherlands-based Natalie, 26, was runner-up to Atkinson in the World Open final in Kuala Lumpur.
Another player celebrating a career-best top ten ranking in 2005 is Malaysia's Nicol David. The 21-year-old Asian champion from Penang enjoyed an excellent run in the last month of the year, reaching the final of the Shanghai WISPA WorldStars Championship and the semi-finals of the World Open, to rise two places to four in the January rankings.
Cassie Jackman's absence from the rankings has resulted in England not being represented in the world top five for the first time ever! However, English names occupy six of the seven places immediately below - with Linda Elriani moving up to six; Rebecca Macree equalling her best-yet seventh place; and Jenny Tranfield leaping four places to a career-high No8.
New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen occupies the #13 spot, one behind Jenny Duncalf. #12 is the crucial breaking point below which a position in the main draw of a 16-player event is not guaranteed.
Ireland's Madeline Perry also boasts a best-ever ranking after moving three places up to 14 in the new list - and Vanessa Atkinson is rejoined in the top twenty for the first time in almost two years by compatriot Annelize Naude, at 19.
Mexican Samantha Teran continues her steady gains in the rankings table, as she moves up again this month to 48; while American junior Lily Lorentzen continues her rapid progress, this month moving up ten points to #66.
1 [1] Rachael Grinham AUS
2 [3] Vanessa Atkinson NED
3 [5] Natalie Grinham AUS
4 [6] Nicol David MAS
5 [4] Natalie Grainger USA
6 [7] Linda Elriani ENG
7 [10] Rebecca Macree ENG
8 [12] Jenny Tranfield ENG
9 [11] Vicky Botwright ENG
10 [9] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY
11 [8] Fiona Geaves ENG
12 [14] Jenny Duncalf ENG
13 [13] Shelley Kitchen NZL
14 [17] Madeline Perry IRL
15 [16] Tania Bailey ENG
16 [15] Isabelle Stoehr FRA
17 [18] Rebecca Chiu HKG
18 [19] Stephanie Brind ENG
19 [21] Annelize Naude NED
20 [20] Pamela Nimmo SCO
OTHER AMERICAS PLAYERS IN TOP 100 AS OF JAN 1 2005:
22 [22] Latasha
Khan USA
32 [34] Runa Reta CAN
41 [42] Alana Miller CAN
43 [45] Katie Patrick CAN
46 [48] Melaine Jans Burke CAN
47 [49] Marnie Baizley CAN
48 [52] Samantha Teran MEX
57 [56] Shabana Khan USA
58 [61] Tara Mullins CAN
62 [66] Meredith Quick USA
66 [76] Lily Lorentzen USA
67 [75] Nicolette Fernandes GUY
84 [87] Louisa Hall USA
92 [107] Ashley Clackson CAN
97 [98] Carlin Wing USA
105 [105] Ivy Pochoda USA
[complete rankings for January]
