Atkinson Powers To No2 In New Year World Rankings

Australia's Rachael Grinham begins the New Year at the top of the Women's World Squash Rankings, according to the January 2005 list announced today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), but Netherlands' star Vanessa Atkinson (pictured) climbs to a career-high No2 after winning the World Open title in Malaysia earlier this month.

Grinham, 27, from Toowoomba in Queensland, succeeded England's Cassie Jackman as world No1 in August and now moves into her sixth successive month at the top. Atkinson, the 28-year-old from The Hague who spent most of last year at three in the rankings, enjoyed a sensational run on the WISPA World Tour in 2004, reaching eight finals and claiming the trophies in all eight!

Cassie Jackman's unexpected retirement this month has enabled Rachael's younger sister Natalie Grinham to rise to a best-ever third place in the new list - the Toowoomba twosome becoming the first ever sisters to share world top three rankings at the same time. Netherlands-based Natalie, 26, was runner-up to Atkinson in the World Open final in Kuala Lumpur.

Another player celebrating a career-best top ten ranking in 2005 is Malaysia's Nicol David. The 21-year-old Asian champion from Penang enjoyed an excellent run in the last month of the year, reaching the final of the Shanghai WISPA WorldStars Championship and the semi-finals of the World Open, to rise two places to four in the January rankings.

Cassie Jackman's absence from the rankings has resulted in England not being represented in the world top five for the first time ever! However, English names occupy six of the seven places immediately below - with Linda Elriani moving up to six; Rebecca Macree equalling her best-yet seventh place; and Jenny Tranfield leaping four places to a career-high No8.

Ireland's Madeline Perry also boasts a best-ever ranking after moving three places up to 14 in the new list - and Vanessa Atkinson is rejoined in the top twenty for the first time in almost two years by compatriot Annelize Naude, at 19.

1 [1] Rachael Grinham AUS
2 [3] Vanessa Atkinson NED
3 [5] Natalie Grinham AUS
4 [6] Nicol David MAS
5 [4] Natalie Grainger USA
6 [7] Linda Elriani ENG
7 [10] Rebecca Macree ENG
8 [12] Jenny Tranfield ENG
9 [11] Vicky Botwright ENG
10 [9] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY
11 [8] Fiona Geaves ENG
12 [14] Jenny Duncalf ENG
13 [13] Shelley Kitchen NZL
14 [17] Madeline Perry IRL
15 [16] Tania Bailey ENG
16 [15] Isabelle Stoehr FRA
17 [18] Rebecca Chiu HKG
18 [19] Stephanie Brind ENG
19 [21] Annelize Naude NED
20 [20] Pamela Nimmo SCO