By JANE BALL (Squash Mad Reporter)

England’s Georgina Kennedy has climbed to the top eight of the PSA Women’s World Rankings for the first time following a month which saw her reach the last 16 of the El Gouna International and make her debut at the season-ending CIB PSA World Tour Finals.

The 25-year-old from London has enjoyed a meteoric rise up the rankings over the past 12 months and was ranked as low as No.105 in July of 2021.

The Kent star can now lay claim to a place among the top eight players in the world ahead of the new PSA World Tour season and the Commonwealth Games, where she and world No.6 Sarah-Jane Perry will spearhead England’s challenge for medals in the women’s events.

Nouran Gohar sees out the season as world No.1, marking four successive months as the female game’s leading player. Reigning world champion Nour El Sherbini finished the season strongly and sits at No.2 after beating Gohar to win the World Tour Finals last week. Hania El Hammamy stays at No.3, while Amanda Sobhy (No.4) and Joelle King complete the top five.

Perry comes next at six, ahead of Rowan Elaraby (7), Kennedy, Salma Hany (who drops to 9) and Olivia Fiechter.

Egypt’s Nour El Tayeb has taken a step closer to a sensational return to the top 10 as she moves up three spots to sit at No.11. The 29-year-old spent 14 months away from the game following the birth of her daughter, but has been in tremendous form over the past two months, reaching the semi-finals of both the CIB PSA World Championships and the El Gouna International.

Belgium’s Nele Gilis drops a place to No.12 and sits one place ahead of younger sister Tinne, who reaches a career-high ranking of No.13. Egypt’s Nada Abbas drops two spots to No.14, while Farida Mohamed’s Mauritius Open triumph sees her rise three places to a career-high No.15 ranking.

Likewise, Malaysia’s Sivasangari Subramaniam, who misses the Commonwealth Games after suffering head injuries in a car crash, moves up three spots to a career-high ranking of No.16, while India’s Joshna Chinappa drops to No.17.

Welsh duo Tesni Evans and Emily Whitlock, as well as Canadian Hollie Naughton, round out the top 20.

With a rise of 200 places, South Africa’s Cheyna Wood is the biggest mover on the women’s tour this month. Wood has moved up to No.249 after winning the Assore/Balwin Johannesburg Open on her PSA Challenger Tour debut.

PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – July 2022

Pictures courtesy of PSA World Tour