Kitchen Back In World Top Ten

The trio of WISPA World Tour titles won by Shelley Kitchen already this year has finally seen the New Zealander back in the world top ten, according to the new May Women's World Squash Rankings announced today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

It was within exactly a month in Malaysia that the 29-year-old from Auckland picked up three NSC Series trophies in Kuala Lumpur - thus boosting her career Tour title tally to 15.

In an otherwise unchanged top ten, Malaysia's Nicol David extends her reign as world number one, ahead of Natalie Grainger, from the USA, at No2; Australia's Rachael Grinham in third place, and her younger sister Natalie Grinham at four.

While the English trio of Jenny Duncalf, Alison Waters and Laura Lengthorn-Massaro retain fifth, sixth and seventh places, respectively, their England team-mate Tania Bailey - still recovering from knee surgery last year - moves up a further place to 14.

New Zealander Jaclyn Hawkes also rises to within one place of her best ever ranking. The UK-based 26-year-old - a surprise semi-finalist in last month's Cannon Kirk Homes Irish Open after upsetting second seed Laura Lengthorn-Massaro in the quarters - moves up to 17.

Egypt's Raneem El Weleily is also rewarded for her surprise victory in last month's On The Run Heliopolis Open in Cairo by rising to a career-equalling high world No19.

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