Birthday girl leads all-Egyptian top four
By SEAN REUTHE – Squash Mad Correspondent

Egypt’s Raneem El Welily has retained the World No.1 spot after the PSA Women’s World Rankings for January were released today.

El Welily, who celebrates her 31st birthday today, has now held top spot for 14 consecutive months and won five PSA Tour titles during 2019.

The Alexandria-born shot-maker leads an all-Egyptian top four which features four-time World Champion Nour El Sherbini (No.2), British Open champion Nouran Gohar (No.3) and Nour El Tayeb (No.4). France’s Camille Serme stays at No.5.

There are no changes in the rest of the top 10 either, with New Zealand’s Joelle King (No.6), America’s Amanda Sobhy (No.7), England’s Sarah-Jane Perry (No.8), Wales’ Tesni Evans (No.9) and Egypt’s Hania El Hammamy all featuring.

Annie Au stays at No.11 ahead of Joshna Chinappa (No.12), Alison Waters (No.13), Salma Hany (No.14) and Victoria Lust (No.15).

Yathreb Adel (No.16), Olivia Blatchford Clyne (No.17) and Nele Gilis (No.18) also feature in the top 20, where the only change sees Joey Chan (No.19) and Nadine Shahin (No.20) swap places.

French player Elise Romba is the biggest riser on the women’s tour, moving up 103 places to reach No.176 courtesy of a last 16 finish at the Monte Carlo Classic. Meanwhile, 15-year-old Egyptian Menna Walid enjoys a rise of 96 places, and she now sits at a career-high No.187 ranking.

PSA Women’s World Rankings Top 20 – January 2020.

Report by SEAN REUTHE (PSA). Edited by ALAN THATCHER 

Pictures courtesy of PSA