David Stays Top, But Duncalf Soars Into Second Place

Two rare defeats in November have not removed Malaysia's Nicol David from the world number one slot she has held uninterrupted since August 2006 - but her English conqueror Jenny Duncalf leaps four places to a career-high No2 in the new December Women's World Squash Rankings, published today by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA).

It was following 18 defeats in a row over the previous ten years that Duncalf beat David for the first time in the Carol Weymuller US Open in New York early in November - and went on to win the title as the fourth seed.

But the 27-year-old from Harrogate was to repeat her achievement only two weeks later in the Qatar Classic, the WISPA Gold championship in Doha, where she recovered from 1/2 down to defeat the Malaysian superstar in five - and again go on to win the title, the biggest of her career.

The Qatar Classic success rounded of a sensational month for Duncalf, who netted three WISPA Tour titles in all, including the Soho Square Championship in Egypt at the beginning of November.

Natalie Grinham, who revealed that she is expecting her first child next year, holds onto third place in the new list, ahead of older sister Rachael Grinham at four - while USA's Natalie Grainger and England's Alison Waters slip to five and six, respectively.

Fresh from receiving her WISPA Most Improved Player of the Year award at the World Squash Awards in London at the weekend, Camille Serme moves up a single place to No13. The position not only marks a career-best ranking for the 20-year-old from Creteil, but makes Serme the highest-ranked Frenchwoman for the first time, ahead of career-long rival Isabelle Stoehr.

But the biggest leap in the top 20 is claimed by Egypt's Engy Kheirallah. The 27-year-old from Cairo's quarter-final berth in the Qatar Classic and runner-up finish in last week's Sharm El Sheikh Open - both against the seedings and both including upsets over her higher-ranked fellow countrywoman Omneya Abdel Kawy - see Kheirallah jump seven places to No14.

December top 20 (inc. points average):

1 [1] Nicol David MAS 2692
2 [6] Jenny Duncalf ENG 1474
3 [3] Natalie Grinham NED 1469
4 [4] Rachael Grinham AUS 1324
5 [2] Natalie Grainger USA 1258
6 [5] Alison Waters ENG 1256
7 [7] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY 989
8 [9] Madeline Perry IRL 949
9 [8] Laura Massaro ENG 908
10 [12] Vanessa Atkinson NED 516
11 [11] Kasey Brown AUS 505
12 [10] Shelley Kitchen NZL 496
13 [14] Camille Serme FRA 489
14 [21] Engy Kheirallah EGY 473
15 [15] Samantha Teran MEX 457
16 [16] Annie Au HKG 456
17 [18] Jaclyn Hawkes NZL 424
18 [19] Tania Bailey ENG 421
19 [13] Isabelle Stoehr FRA 419
20 [17] Rebecca Chiu HKG 417