Marwan El Shorbagy and Nour El Sherbini head the new April WSF World Junior Circuit Rankings to make it an Egyptian double in the list published today by the World Squash Federation.
El Shorbagy, the reigning world junior champion, clinched the British Junior U19 Open title in January to extend his lead at the top of the men’s rankings to more than 30 points. The 18-year-old from Alexandria has topped the rankings since their launch in October last year.
Title success in both the French Junior U19 Open in February and the German Junior U19 Open last month takes England’s Oliver Holland up to second place in the list.
Egypt’s Mohamed Abouelghar retains third place and Indian Mahesh Mangaonkar drops to four – while Richie Fallows, runner-up to fellow countryman Holland both in the French and German Opens, rises 12 places to No5.
Egypt’s Nour El Sherbini has leap-frogged Emily Whitlock to replace the English teenager at the top of the women’s rankings. Alexandria-based El Sherbini, who is just 16 years old, celebrated her fifth British Junior Open success in January by winning the U19 trophy for the second time.
After a surprise semi-final British Junior Open exit in January, Whitlock is bidding to defend her European Junior Championship title this week in Portugal – but success in the Belgian & Swiss Junior Opens late last year have contributed towards her second place.
India’s Anaka Alankamony slips to third place – while France’s Julia Lecoq jumps five positions to No4 after winning theFrench Junior U19 Open against expectations.
Nele Gilis becomes the highest-ranked Belgian in the list. The 16-year-old leaps 25 places to No6 after winning the Czech Junior U19 Open.
The WSF World Junior Circuit Rankings – based on the under-19 age grouping and launched last October – are issued quarterly, based on results achieved in national junior opens, regional championships and WSF World Junior Individual Championships.
Men’s top 10:
| 1 | (1) | Marwan El Shorbagy (Egypt) | 108.33 |
| 2 | (11) | Oliver Holland (England) | 75.00 |
| 3 | (3) | Mohamed Abouelghar (Egypt) | 72.67 |
| 4 | (2) | Mahesh Mangaonkar (India) | 55.00 |
| 5 | (17) | Richie Fallows (England) | 55.00 |
| 6 | (54) | Martin Svec (Czech Republic) | 53.33 |
| 7 | (92) | Abdulla Mohd Al Tamimi (Qatar) | 51.00 |
| 8 | (4) | Tom de Mulder (Belgium) | 49.33 |
| 9 | (7) | Declan James (England) | 46.67 |
| 10 | (8) | Tom Ford (England) | 43.67 |
Women’s top 10:
| 1 | (4) | Nour El Sherbini (Egypt) | 88.33 |
| 2 | (1) | Emily Whitlock (England) | 76.67 |
| 3 | (2) | Anaka Alankamony (India) | 75.00 |
| 4 | (9) | Julia Lecoq (France) | 58.33 |
| 5 | (5) | Maria Elena Ubina (USA) | 45.00 |
| 6 | (31) | Nele Gilis (Belgium) | 43.67 |
| 7 | (6) | Lee Ka Yi (Hong Kong China) | 42.67 |
| 8 | (16) | Melissa Alves (France) | 36.67 |
| 9 | (7) | Caroline Sayegh (Germany) | 33.67 |
| 10 | (46) | Kanzy Emad El-Defrawy (Egypt) | 32.67 |