by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Likewise, China’s Wang Chuqin falls one place to no.3, he is now ahead of Cristian Pletea, the Romanian having emerged successful at the Road to Buenos Aires tournament, also staged in February in Hodonin.
Conversely for Frenchman, Bastian Rembert, who also secured his Youth Olympic Games place in the Czech town, it is movement in the reverse direction, he drops from no.7 to no.14.
Differing fortunes but for Egypt’s Youssef Abdel-Aziz and China’s Xu Haidong, there is progress; a semi-finalist in Luxembourg, Youssef Abdel-Azia climbs from no.11 to no.8; runner up at the 2018 Oman Junior and Cadet Open, Xu Haidong is now at no.12. Previously he was listed at no.23.
In a somewhat similar fashion both China’s Shi Xunyao and Chinese Taipei’s Su Pei-Ling climb the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings, following splendid performances in February. Shi Xunyao, the Junior Girls’ Singles winner in the Czech Republic, moves from no.8 to no.3; Su Pei-Ling, runner up at the 2017 ITTF World Junior Circuit Finals advances from no.12 to no.4. Sun Yingsha and Qian Tianyi, like Shi Xunyao both from China, continue to hold the top two respective positions.
No change for the top two, on the Under 15 Boys’ World Rankings, the top three names remain the same; Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin continues in pole position followed by Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish and Egypt’s Mohammad Azzam.
However, slightly further down the list there noteworthy progress for India. Payas Jain, a Cadet Boys’ Singles quarter-finalist in the Czech Republic, moves from no.12 to no.; Himnakulhpuingheta Jeho from no.13 to no.9.
The top three names the same and progress for India; the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings is no different. Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian, Romania’s Elena Zaharia and Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yu-Jie maintain their respective leading three places. Next on the list is India’s Diya Parag Chitale. She climbs two places and now reserves the no.4 spot.
Progress but on the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings, the most significant advance is that of China’s Kuai Man; the Cadet Girls’ Singles runner up in Oman, she moves from no.23 to no.9.
Meanwhile, on the Under 21 Men’s World Rankings, Japan is very much to the fore; Mizuki Oikawa retains top spot ahead of colleague, Yuto Kizukuri. He changes places with Korea’s Cho Seungmin, who now appears in the no.3 spot. Notably, Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit drops from no.8 to no.18.
Minor changes at the very top of the Under 21 Men’s World Rankings, on the counterpart female list, there is no movement at the very top. Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam remains at the head of the list. She is followed once again by the Japanese duo of Saki Shibata and Minami Ando.
March 2018: World Rankings – Men, Women, Under 21, Under 18, Under 15