Latest Professional Squash Assocation (PSA) Women's World Rankings

Japan No.1 Satomi Watanabe and Egypt's young prodigy Amina Orfi have both ascended to career-high rankings in the latest Women’s World Rankings issued by the Professional Squash Association (PSA).

Amina Orfi, a remarkable 16-year-old talent, made it to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Ace Malaysia Squash Cup last week, where she faced a tough opponent in Nour El Tayeb. Her impressive performance in Malaysia has propelled her to a career-best ranking of World No.18, surpassing Tesni Evans and Farida Mohamed.

In parallel, Satomi Watanabe, the first Japanese player to enter the Women’s World's top 20, back in April, has continued her ascent. Satomi Watanabe now stands at World No.16, rising one place in the rankings, following a strong start to her 2023-24 squash season.

Within the top 20, there have been other notable shifts. Rowan Elaraby has edged up one position, sharing the World No.14 ranking with American standout Sabrina Sobhy. Nada Abbas, too, has made a stride up the rankings, now occupying the World No.17 spot.

2023 Ace Malaysia Squash Cup Champion Nour El Tayeb has narrowed the gap to World No.5 Amanda Sobhy, although she maintains her position at World No.6. The rest of the top ten players have retained their previous rankings.

Welsh No.1 Tesni Evans, who has been sidelined due to injury since the British National Squash Championships in August, has experienced a drop in the rankings, now seated at World No.20.

The top 10 places in the latest Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour remain unchanged following the conclusion of the Grasshopper Cup 2023 in Zurich, hinting at a growing competitive equilibrium in the women’s game, however the evolving dynamics between Hania El Hammamy and Noran Gohar, as well as the resurgence of Sarah-Jane Perry, Amanda Sobhy and Olivia Clyne, add a layer of intrigue and anticipation to the unfolding season alongside an intriguing development brewing in the upper echelons of the sport.

World No.3 Hania El Hammamy has made significant strides in narrowing the gap between herself and the World No.2, Nouran Gohar. The point differential has shrunk to a mere 174 points when considering their averages, setting the stage for a captivating battle as the season unfolds.

England's Sarah-Jane Perry has staged a remarkable resurgence, reclaiming her position at World No.12 by ascending three spots in the latest rankings. This resurgence not only speaks to her tenacity but also promises an exciting resurgence in her career.

Furthermore, the shuffle in the latest PSA Women's World Rankings has seen notable jumps for the dynamic duo from the USA, Sabrina Sobhy and Olivia Clyne, who have advanced at the expense of Egypt's Rowan Elaraby, now seated at World No.15, and Tesni Evans of Walews, who now occupies the No.16 spot.

Egypt's Nour El Tayeb has surged back into the top five of the Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Rankings following her recent victory at the Women’s South Western Squash Open 2023, an achievement that marks her return to the top 5 for the first time since the 21st August, as looks to further she is determined to close in on the coveted top four spots.

Japan's Satomi Watanabe has reached a career-high World N.17 ranking. Watanabe's ascent into the top 20 last season has now seen her surpass her previous best of World No.18, an impressive feat considering she has participated in just one event so far in the 2023-24 squash season.

Canada's Hollie Naughton has slipped outside the world’s top 20 for the first time since October 2020, now occupying a ranking of World No.23. This shift has paved the way for France's Melissa Alves to rejoin the world’s top 20, marking her return after an absence since May. Alves now joins the ranks of the five other Europeans currently positioned within the top 20.

The Professional Squash Association have announced that Egypt's Nour El Tayeb has climbed ed two positions to claim the No.6 spot in this week's PSA Women's World Rankings announced by. Nour El Tayeb’s move in the women’s world squash rankings comes on the heels of her triumph over USA's Amanda Sobhy in the final of the 2023 PSA Women's South Western Squash Open presented by Cotidié.

In a stunning display of skill and determination, Nour El Tayeb clinched her 14th PSA World Tour career title by rallying from a game down to secure victory over the No.2 seed Amanda Sobhy, sealing the match 9-11 11-7 11-5 11-5 in 42 minutes. This win marked Nour El Tayeb's first PSA World Tour title of the 2023-24 season, and her first since May. Her thrilling performance propelled her two spots up the rankings, displacing England's Georgina Kennedy and Belgium's Nele Gilis in the process.

Notably, Olivia Clyne, despite her early exit in Houston with a second-round loss to Egypt's Nada Abbas, has climbed to World No.13 in the rankings. Meanwhile, Amanda Sobhy's younger sister, Sabrina, has slipped down to No.14 as a consequence of these rankings adjustments.

Nada Abbas, celebrating her remarkable journey to the semi-finals of the PSA World Tour Gold event in Houston, where she defeated USA's Olivia Clyne and Olivia Fiechter, showed her talent and determination. Although she narrowly missed out on victory against Amanda Sobhy in a closely contested five-game battle, Nada Abbas earned a well-deserved return to the world’s top 20 for the first time since March.

Emily Whitlock of Wales has also made a significant move up the rankings to claim the World No.23 spot. Her impressive journey to the quarter-finals in Houston, where she faced eventual runner-up Amanda Sobhy, has contributed to her upward trajectory in the rankings.

The are several notable shifts in the latest PSA Women’s World Rankings that demand attention. Sabrina Sobhy from the USA has made a significant leap, climbing three places to secure her highest-ever PSA World Ranking at No.13. This achievement is a direct result of the revaluation of points earned at the 2022 CIB Egyptian Open, which has triggered a series of movements within the women's top 20 rankings.

Philadelphia-born Sabrina Sobhy emerges as a standout beneficiary of this ranking reshuffle, marking her entry into the top 13 in the world for the very first time. While her recent performance saw a disappointing exit in the last 32 of the QTerminals Qatar Squash Classic earlier this month, she is determined to reclaim her form when she competes on home soil at the U.S. Squash Open, a highly anticipated event scheduled for the 7th to 14th October.

Meanwhile, Egypt's Rowan Elaraby has experienced a modest rise, climbing one spot to No.12, as she sets her sights on rejoining the coveted top 10. Despite previously reaching a career-high ranking of World No.7, she momentarily slipped outside the top 10 earlier this month.

Adding to the dynamics of these rankings, USA's Olivia Clyne has advanced one place to attain a ranking of World No.14.

Egypt's Nada Abbas continues her impressive ascent through the rankings, making a significant leap of two places to secure the No.22 position. As her upward trajectory persists, Abbas remains a player to watch in the evolving landscape of professional squash.

England's Georgina Kennedy has achieved her highest-ever world ranking, securing the coveted World No.6 spot in the latest Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Rankings. Georgina Kennedy's ascent comes on the back of an impressive performance at the Paris Squash 2023, where she reached her first semi-final in a PSA Platinum World Tour event. Though she faced a formidable challenge in the quarter-finals of the QTerminals Qatar Squash Classic 2023, where she ultimately succumbed to the reigning champion Hania El Hammamy, her overall performance has propelled her to this historic milestone.

Georgina Kennedy's rise also sees her overtaking Belgium's Nele Gilis, firmly establishing herself as a force to be reckoned with on the women’s international squash circuit.

Salma Hany of Egypt has also made significant strides, advancing one place in her quest to re-enter the top 10. Her journey to the quarter-finals of the QTerminals Qatar Squash Classic 2023, which included a notable victory over World No.8 Nour El Tayeb in the second round, showed her determination and skill. However, her path to the semi-finals was obstructed by Tinne Gilis, preventing her from progressing further.

Further reshuffling in the PSA World Rankings reveals that Rowan Elaraby and Sarah Jane Perry have each climbed one spot, while the USA's Olivia Clyne has experienced a slight descent, slipping two places to World No. 15.

Egypt's teenage sensation, Amina Orfi, continues to make waves on the international squash scene, now standing just outside the top 30 at World No.32. Her remarkable performance in Qatar, where she reached the third round, reflects her burgeoning potential, and sees her leap six places in the rankings.

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Nele Gilis, the talented squash player from Belgium, continues to amaze with her exceptional season, propelling herself to a career-high World No.6 ranking. Gilis's remarkable ascent comes on the heels of her participation in the prestigious CIB PSA World Tour Finals.

Marking her debut in this season-ending tournament, Gilis's performance earned her valuable points. Additionally, the absence of the US No.1 player, Amanda Sobhy, caused a drop in her ranking, allowing Gilis to secure a spot in the top six for the very first time in her flourishing career.

Impressively, Gilis has not only reached her maiden major final but has also clinched three victories this season. Triumphs at the Open de France de Squash, City Tattersalls Club Australian Open, and the Malaysian Squash Open Championships have solidified her prowess. Furthermore, she emerged as the runner-up in the El Gouna International, where she faced the formidable Nouran Gohar.

In another noteworthy development, Nour El Tayeb, hailing from Egypt, has experienced a resurgence in her rankings. Following her exceptional performance in the semi-finals of the CIB PSA World Tour Finals, she has climbed back into the top five for the first time since giving birth to her baby daughter Farida in 2021.

In the women's rankings, American athlete Olivia Clyne has ascended to World No.13, benefiting from the decline of England's Sarah-Jane Perry. Perry's loss of points from the previous year's CIB PSA World Tour Finals caused her ranking to drop.

Furthermore, American squash player Marina Stefanoni has returned to her career-high ranking of World No.56. Stefanoni's achievement comes on the back of her notable performance, culminating in reaching the final of the Champion Fiberglass Women's Open in Houston.

In summary, Nele Gilis's sensational rise to World No.6, coupled with Nour El Tayeb's resurgence has added excitement and intrigue to the squash world rankings. Moreover, Olivia Clyne and Marina Stefanoni have showcased their mettle by regaining their positions and achieving personal milestones.