by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Lin Yun-Ju climbs four places and replaces Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri at the top of the order; Korea’s Lim Jonghoon is now in second spot with Cho Seungmin, the player Lin Jun-Yu beat in the Hong Kong final in fourth position.
Previously, Lim Jonghoon was at no.4, having earlier in the year topped the list, Cho Seungmin was at no.6.
Four places higher for Lin Yun-Ju, it is a progress of two places for Chen Ke; previously she was listed in the no.3 position. Formerly in shared top spot, Japan’s Saki Shibata is now the no.2 spot; Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam is now at no.3.
Somewhat differently on the Under 18 Boys’ and Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings, the top names remain very much the same as the previous month. The one change of note is in the Girls’ list where China’s Shi Xunyao, the recent winner on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in Poland, changes places with colleague, Sun Yingsha. She is at no.2 one position behind Qian Tianyi, also from China, who retains the top spot.
Meanwhile on the Under 18 Boys’ World Rankings, Kanak Jha of the United States retains first place, once again ahead of India’s Manav Vikash Thakkar and China’s Xu Haidong; however, the name to note is that of the latter’s colleague, Xu Yingbin. He moves from no.9 to no.6 behind Wang Chuqin, also from China and Romania’s Rares Sipos.
Chinese names to note but if there is one name to note from that country it is that of Xiang Peng; five appearances to date on this year’s ITTF World Junior Circuit; on each occasion he has won the Cadet Boys’ Singles titles.
Previously at no.4, he heads the Under 15 Boys’ World Rankings, ahead of Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish and Kuang Li, also from China, the player Xiang Peng beat in the recent finals in Poland and Thailand. It is no change for Jacobo Vahnish, for Kiang Li it is a climb of three places. The player to suffer is Chinese Taipei’s Feng Yi-Hsin, formerly in top spot; he is now at no.5, one place lower than Egypt’s Mohamed Azzam.
Progress for Xiang Peng and Kuang Li; on the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings, the progress for their colleagues is even more marked. Chen Yi, the winner of Cadet Girls’ Singles titles on the ITTF World Junior Circuit in the Czech Republic, Italy and Thailand moves from no.16 to no.3; colleague Zhou Jingyi from no.10 to no.5.
Romania’s Elizabet Abraamian and Romania’s Elena Zaharia retain the respective top two places.
June 2018: World Rankings