World Champion Grinham Still Behind David In World Rankings

Despite losing her title in last week's World Open in Madrid, Nicol David has extended her reign at the top of the Women's World Squash Rankings, according to the November list published today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

With an average of 2,841 points, the 24-year-old Malaysian stays ahead of second-placed Australian Natalie Grinham, who has a rolling year average of 2,473 points. Yet, the new world champion Rachael Grinham - who beat Natalie in the first ever world final between two sisters - has been unable to rise from third place, where she has 1,919 points.

However, the three players - and the remaining top women in the world - are in WISPA Gold action this week in the Qatar Classic in Doha, and thereafter in the WISPA Platinum Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open later in the month. David will need to avoid stumbling to stay ahead of the Queenslanders and finish the year as world number one.

Natalie Grainger, a semi-finalist in Madrid, rises to No4 in the new list - the US champion's highest world ranking for more than two years.

Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy celebrates a career-high ranking of 6 in the latest list. The 22-year-old from Cairo - the youngest player in the top 20 - has maintained consistent form on the WISPA World Tour this year, achieving her seeded position in eight completed events since picking up her fourth Tour title at the Dayton Open in the USA in January.

New Zealand's Shelley Kitchen also achieves a best-ever ranking in November. The 27-year-old from Auckland, who stole the Madrid headlines last week when she ousted title-holder Nicol David in the second round, rises to No9.

Three WISPA final appearances - including title success in the Central Open in New Zealand in June - have taken Australian Kasey Brown to a career-high world No15 ranking in the new list.

There is further Kiwi joy in the new rankings with the reappearance in the top 20 of Jaclyn Hawkes at No19. The 24-year-old from Auckland was a surprise finalist in both the Dayton Open and Irish Open earlier this year.

1 [1] Nicol David MAS
2 [2] Natalie Grinham AUS
3 [3] Rachael Grinham AUS
4 [5] Natalie Grainger USA
5 [4] Tania Bailey ENG
6 [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY
7 [6] Vicky Botwright ENG
8 [9] Vanessa Atkinson NED
9 [11] Shelley Kitchen NZL
10 [12] Jenny Duncalf ENG
11 [8] Madeline Perry IRL
12 [10] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro ENG
13 [13] Rebecca Chiu HKG
14 [14] Alison Waters ENG
15 [16] Kasey Brown AUS
16 [15] Engy Kheirallah EGY
17 [20] Isabelle Stoehr FRA
18 [19] Dominique Lloyd-Walter ENG
19 [21] Jaclyn Hawkes NZL
20 [18] Sharon Wee MAS