Nicol David Confirmed As World Number One

Today's publication of the January 2006 Women's World Squash Rankings, issued by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), confirms that Malaysian star Nicol David has leapfrogged both Vanessa Atkinson and Rachael Grinham to become the new world number one for the first time.

The 22-year-old from Penang is the twelfth holder of the position since the rankings were first produced in April 1983, and the first Asian to top the list.

The accolade completes a sensational year for Nicol David, who first made her mark as a junior when she became the first player in history to win the world junior crown twice. After winning the World Games gold medal in July, David went on to become the first home winner of the Malaysian Open title in the same month.

In October, Amsterdam-based David won the British Open crown for the first time - and, immediately afterwards, the Carol Weymuller Open title in New York. Then in Hong Kong at the beginning of this month, David clinched her position at the top of the New Year world rankings when she upset top-seeded Rachael Grinham in the final of the World Open to become the youngest ever world champion.

Vanessa Atkinson, the 29-year-old from the Netherlands who topped the world rankings for the first time this month, slips to two, while Australian Rachael Grinham, holder of the title for 16 months to November, drops to three.

Lower in the top twenty, two players celebrate career-high rankings on the eve of the New Year: Netherlands player Annelize Naude, who celebrates her 29th birthday on New Year's Day, moves up to 13; while England's Laura-Jane Lengthorn, aged 22 from Lancashire, rises to 15.

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