Nicol David Holds Onto No1 Ranking - But Perry Powers Into Top Ten

Malaysia's Nicol David holds onto her No1 position in the new February Women's World Squash Rankings, issued today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA), but Ireland's Madeline Perry powers into the world top ten for the first time.

David, the 22-year-old from Penang who topped the list for the first time in January, heads an unchanged top seven, with Netherlands' Vanessa Atkinson at two; Australian sisters Rachael Grinham and Natalie Grinham at three and four, respectively; and England team-mates Vicky Botwright and Linda Elriani in fifth and sixth place. USA's Natalie Grainger remains at No7.

Madeline Perry enjoyed a highly successful year in 2005, winning two WISPA World Tour titles, the Buler Challenge Cup in Hong Kong in February and the Irish Open in Dublin in April. In November, the 28-year-old from Craigavon reached the Monte Carlo Classic final as the fourth seed, and followed this success by making it through to the last eight of the World Open in Hong Kong, where she was the tenth seed.

Perry becomes the second highest-ranked Irishwoman, behind Rebecca Best who reached No6 in July 1988.

England's Jenny Duncalf moves up two places to a career-equalling-high world No8, while compatriot Laura-Jane Lengthorn rises two places to a best-ever world No13 ranking. The 22-year-old from Lancashire was an unexpected semi-finalist in the first WISPA event she played in this year, the Greenwich Open in Connecticut.

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