Lucky Seven For Laura In New World Rankings

Whilst the top six is unchanged in the new March Women's World Squash Rankings, England's Laura Lengthorn-Massaro rises to a career-high No7 in the list published today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

Malaysia's Nicol David heads the rankings to extend her unbroken reign as world number one since August 2006. Natalie Grinham (Netherlands) remains at two, ahead of her older sister Rachael Grinham (Australia) in third place, while Natalie Grainger, of the USA, at number four; and England's Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters are at five and six, respectively.

Lengthorn-Massaro enjoyed a distinguished 2008, reaching three WISPA World Tour finals and rounding off the year by winning the Monte Carlo Classic in Monaco in December. Laura's 2009 campaign has already featured two semi-finals berths - the latter at the National City Burning River Classic in Cleveland, USA, where she upset Egypt's Omneya Abdel Kawy to claim an unexpected place in the last four.

Hong Kong's Annie Au also leaps to a best-ever ranking - re-entering the top 20 to secure 17th place. The 20-year-old, the youngest player in the top 20, won three Tour titles last year and claimed her sixth appearance in a final at the NSC Series No1 in Malaysia last month.

Au also tops the March Under 23 WISPA rankings for the first time, having rocketed up from 12th spot in the last of the three-times-a-year listings.

1 [1] Nicol David MAS
2 [2] Natalie Grinham NED
3 [3] Rachael Grinham AUS
4 [4] Natalie Grainger USA
5 [5] Jenny Duncalf ENG
6 [6] Alison Waters ENG
7 [8] Laura Lengthorn-Massaro ENG
8 [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY
9 [9] Madeline Perry IRL
10 [10] Isabelle Stoehr FRA
11 [11] Vanessa Atkinson NED
12 [13] Shelley Kitchen NZL
13 [12] Kasey Brown AUS
14 [14] Rebecca Chiu HKG
15 [15] Samantha Teran MEX
16 [16] Jaclyn Hawkes NZL
17 [21] Annie Au HKG
18 [17] Tania Bailey ENG
19 [19] Raneem El Weleily EGY
20 [18] Lauren Briggs ENG