Shabana Celebrates 30th Month As World Number One

Egyptian Amr Shabana records his 30th successive month as world number one in the new September Dunlop PSA Men's World Rankings, published by the Professional Squash Association.

The Cairo-born 29-year-old has dominated men's squash for the past three years and is set to become only the fourth player in history to win the world title a fourth time when he defends his title in next month's Hi-Tec World Open in Manchester, England.

Shabana heads an unchanged top six, with Frenchman Gregory Gaultier in second place, ahead of England's James Willstrop at three; his fellow countryman Ramy Ashour at No4; Australia's British Open champion David Palmer at five, and France's Thierry Lincou at No6.

But Egyptian Karim Darwish moves up seventh place, overtaking Nick Matthew, the Englishman who makes his 2008 Tour debut at this week's Forexx Dutch Open following shoulder surgery at the beginning of the year.

Malaysian Mohd Azlan Iskandar has cause for celebration after marking a career-high No11 ranking in the new list. The London-based 26-year-old from Sarawak has enjoyed good form this year, reaching the finals of the CIMB KL Open, Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open and CIMB Malaysian Open against the seeding - and last month making it to the semi-finals of the Petrosport International Championship in Egypt as eighth seed.

Wael El Hindi, winner of the Super Series Platinum event in his hometown of Cairo, rises three places to a career-high-equalling No9.

But the biggest riser in the top twenty is Miguel Angel Rodriguez: The 22-year-old from Bogotá becomes the first Colombian to earn a place in the elite list, marking his debut at No20. Miguel Angel Rodriguez has rapidly established a strong reputation in the Pan American region - his victory in last month's XI Abierto Colombian Open bringing his Tour title tally for the year to three and his career total to nine.

1 [1] Amr Shabana EGY
2 [2] Gregory Gaultier FRA
3 [3] James Willstrop ENG
4 [4] Ramy Ashour EGY
5 [5] David Palmer AUS
6 [6] Thierry Lincou FRA
7 [8] Karim Darwish EGY
8 [7] Nick Matthew ENG
9 [12] Wael El Hindi EGY
10 [9] Ong Beng Hee MAS
11 [13] Mohd Azlan Iskandar MAS
12 [10] Peter Barker ENG
13 [11] Lee Beachill ENG
14 [14] Adrian Grant ENG
15 [15] Laurens Jan Anjema NED
16 [17] Olli Tuominen FIN
17 [16] Stewart Boswell AUS
18 [18] Cameron Pilley AUS
19 [19] John White SCO
20 [25] Miguel Angel Rodriguez COL