by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Significant progress for Wang Manyu; the effect is the Japanese duo of Mima Ito and Miu Hirano each drop one place. Mima Ito is now at no.6 followed immediately by Miu Hirano.
Similarly, for Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, it is one place lower; she now appears at no.8 one ahead of Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem who retains the no.9 spot.
One place lower for Cheng I-Ching, it is quite the reverse for colleague Chen Szu-Yu as it is for Li Jie of the Netherlands. A Women’s Singles semi-finalist in Budapest, Chen Szu-Yu moves from no.16 to no.11; Li Jie who departed one round earlier, advances from no.14 to no.10. Pertinently, the progress made by Li Jie seals her place as the top seed at the China Construction Bank 2018 ITTF Europe Top 16 Cup, which commences in Montreux on Saturday 3rd February.
Chen Xingtong, also from China and a semi-finalist in Hungary completes the top 12 names; she drops two places.
A higher status as a result of competing in Budapest, it is the same for Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Ng Wing Nam; Minnie Soo Wai Yam climbs from no.30 to no.25, Ng Wing Nam from no.57 to no.48. Likewise, Portugal’s Fu Yu progresses from no.36 to no.27.
Notably, further down the order amongst the top one hundred names, Poland’s Natalia Partyka climbs from no.68 to no.53, India’s Mouma Das from no.74 to no.61 and Italy’s Giorgia Piccolin from no.99 to no.78. Similarly, there is a climb of more than ten places for Chinese Taipei’s Wang Yi-Ju, she advances from no. 93 to no.80. Also, Hungary’s Dora Madarasz moves from no.104 to no.87, Croatia’s Mateja Jeger from no.116 to no.96. Not to be left out, Russia’s Mariia Tailakova is now at no. 99, formerly she stood at no.122.
Climbing the ladder but there are those making significant descents. Hungary’s Georgina Pota drops from no.20 to no.27, Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm from no.25 to no.33, Britt Eerland of the Netherlands from no.55 to no.75; likewise Singapore’s Zhou Yihan falls from no.63 to no.77.
Meanwhile, on the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings, the top three names remain the same; a situation which applies also to the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings and the Under 15 Girls’ listings.
Minnie Soo Wai Yam heads the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings followed by Japan’s Saki Shibata and Minami Ando; on the Under 18 list, China’s Sun Yingsha retains pole position pursued by colleague Qian Tianyi and Serbia’s Sabina Surjan.
Asian names at the top of the order, on the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings, it is a European name. Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian occupies first position; next in line is Romania’s Elena Zaharia with Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jie in third spot.
China followed by Japan and Chinese Taipei head the Women’s Team Rankings.
World Rankings: Complete listings for February 2018 plus detailed explanations