WORLD SQUASH NEWS

Grinham Sisters Home In On Owens

Carol Owens retains her position as No1 in the new December Women's World Squash Rankings, announced today (28 November) by the Women's International Squash Players' Association (WISPA) - but the New Zealander is threatened by Anglo-Australian pressure.

England's former world champion Cassie Jackman celebrates the end of a complete year back in action since her second career-threatening back operation last year by rising two places to No2.  In October, the 30-year-old from Norwich won the US Open title for a fourth time, beating Owens in five games in the final in New York.

But the next two positions are now held by Australia's Grinham sisters - Rachael Grinham retaining the No3 slot she achieved after beating both Owens and Jackman en-route to the British Open title in October, and Natalie Grinham leaping to a best-ever No4 position after winning the Dutch Open title earlier this month and losing only to Carol Owens in her previous two events.

Rachael, 26, and Natalie, 25, were brought up in Toowoomba in Queensland, but are now based in Cairo in Egypt, and Almere in the Netherlands, respectively.

The English hierarchy looks likely to undergo a major shake-up as two young players register career-high top 20 positions:  Vicky Botwright, 26, from Manchester, makes her top ten debut at No9 after claiming her fourth appearance in a WISPA final this year in October - and 21-year-old Jenny Duncalf, from Harrogate in Yorkshire, vaults ten places in two months to No12 after beating Botwright in the Atlanta Masters final to win her maiden WISPA title.

Former World Junior Champion Nicol David also becomes the highest-ranked Malaysian of all-time by jumping nine places to a career-high No13.  The 20-year-old from Penang has enjoyed a magnificent comeback since taking a break from the tour last year - and this month toppled three seeds to reach the final of the Monte Carlo Classic.

1 [1] Carol Owens NZL
2 [4] Cassie Jackman ENG
3 [3] Rachael Grinham AUS
4 [7] Natalie Grinham AUS
5 [2] Natalie Grainger USA
6 [5] Linda Charman ENG
7 [6] Vanessa Atkinson NED
8 [9] Rebecca Macree ENG
9 [11] Vicky Botwright ENG
10 [12] Stephanie Brind ENG
11 [13] Fiona Geaves ENG
12 [16] Jenny Duncalf ENG
13 [22] Nicol David MAS
14 [8] Tania Bailey ENG
15 [14] Omneya Abdel Kawy EGY
16 [10] Jenny Tranfield ENG
17 [17] Rebecca Chiu HKG
18 [15] Shelley Kitchen NZL
19 [18] Madeline Perry IRL
20 [20] Isabelle Stoehr FRA

For the complete WISPA ranking list, see www.wispa.net