David Extends Ranking Lead - & Natalie Grinham Back At Two

Nicol David, who last month became world champion for the fourth time, extends her lead at the top of the October Women's World Rankings, the latest list published today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

The 26-year-old Malaysian recovered from the shock of surrendering her British Open title midway through September to clinch the Forexx Women's World Open trophy in glorious style in Amsterdam on Sunday.

The win gave Nicol David her 40th WISPA World Tour title - and leaves the Malaysian superstar just one world title short of the record five achieved in 2002 by Australian legend Sarah Fitz-Gerald.

Natalie Grinham, the 31-year-old who won a record three Commonwealth Games gold medals for Australia in 2006 and is now a Dutch national, is richly rewarded for a fine comeback from injury and illness with a return to No2 in the new list.

The younger Grinham sister followed her success in lifting the New Zealand Classic title in August by reaching her third successive WISPA Tour final at Amsterdam's Frans Otten Stadion last week. Natalie took the opening game in the World Open final, but her impressive run finally came to an end at the hands of the mighty Malaysian.

Natalie Grainger, the former world number one from the USA who is currently recovering from a foot injury, slips to No3, while Australia's Rachael Grinham - beaten by sister Natalie in the World Open semi-finals - holds onto fourth place, ahead of English pair Alison Waters and Jenny Duncalf.

But Madeline Perry, the Irish number one who suffered a career-threatening head injury two years ago, is rewarded for her surprise appearance in the final of the internationalSPORTgroup British Open in Manchester with a rise to No7 - her best ranking since a career-best No6 in April 2006.

The 32-year-old from Banbridge, near Belfast, made her British Open breakthrough by beating Nicol David - her first win over the Malaysian in 15 career meetings - in the quarter-finals, and went to make the last eight of the World Open in the Netherlands capital.

Dutch star Vanessa Atkinson also records a rise in the October list, moving up to 12 after a last 16 finish in her home country - and England's Tania Bailey also makes a return to the world top 20 at 19.

Outside the top 20, Australian Donna Urquhart celebrates a career-high 26 ranking after becoming the only qualifier to reach the British Open quarter-finals - then making her maiden appearance in the World Open after qualifying.

October top 20 (inc. points average):

1 [1] Nicol David MAS 3537
2 [3] Natalie Grinham NED 1816
3 [2] Natalie Grainger USA 1720
4 [4] Rachael Grinham AUS 1425
5 [5] Alison Waters ENG 1291
6 [6] Jenny Duncalf ENG 1175
7 [8] Madeline Perry IRL 995
8 [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY 931
9 [9] Laura Massaro ENG 838
10 [10] Shelley Kitchen NZL 652
11 [11] Kasey Brown AUS 544
12 [13] Vanessa Atkinson NED 524
13 [12] Isabelle Stoehr FRA 519
14 [14] Jaclyn Hawkes NZL 487
15 [15] Annie Au HKG 482
16 [17] Samantha Teran MEX 476
17 [16] Rebecca Chiu HKG 469
18 [18] Camille Serme FRA 419
19 [22] Tania Bailey ENG 419
20 [20] Raneem El Weleily EGY 387