Matthew Stretches World Number One Lead

Victory in last week's second PSA World Series event of the year has extended Englishman Nick Matthew's lead at the top of the Dunlop PSA Men's World Squash Rankings, according to the March list published today by the Professional Squash Association.

World champion Matthew beat his arch rival Ramy Ashour in the final of the North American Open in Virginia - avenging his defeat at the same stage in the JP Morgan Tournament of Champions, the first 2011 World Series event in New York in January.

The 30-year-old from Sheffield moves into his third successive month as world number one, holding off the challenge of world No2 Ashour.

In an unchanged top six, Egypt's Karim Darwish retains his third position ahead of England's James Willstrop at four, with Egyptian Amr Shabana in fifth place, and Frenchman Gregory Gaultier at six.

England's Peter Barker rises a single place to No7 after claiming a surprise berth in last month's Case Swedish Open.

And Mohd Azlan Iskandar consolidates his position as the top-ranked Malaysian by jumping three places to a career-high No10. The 28-year-old from Kuala Lumpur enjoyed a fruitful February, firstly winning the Bluenose Classic in Canada against the odds, then reaching the quarter-finals of the North American Open unseeded.

Tour veteran David Palmer showed that he has still much to offer in his 35th year when he also made the last eight in Virginia unseeded. The two-time world champion moves up two places to 13 to reclaim his status as Australia's highest-ranked player.

March 2011 top 20 (inc. points average):