by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Manager
Romania’s Rares Sipos moves into second place, having formerly occupied the no.5 spot; next in line is India’s Manav Vikash Thakkar with Ioannis Sgouropoulos of Greece. in the no.4 position.
In the June order of merit, Manav Vikash Thakkar was at no.2; Ioannis Sgouropoulos occupied the no.7 position. Progress but of course there are players who must make way; notably formerly in top spot, Kanak Jha drops to no.8, China’s Wang Chuqin from no.4 to no.42.
Conversely, Australia’s Ben Gould makes the most staggering climb; he advances over 200 places; previously at no.246, he is now listed at no.23.
Meanwhile, on the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings, the changes at the top are much less marked.
China’s Qian Tianyi and Shi Xunyao retain the respective top two places with Serbia’s Sabina Surjan climbing one place to no.3 and Russia’s Anastasia Kolish progressing from no.9 to no.4; the player to noticeably move down the order is China’s Sun Yingshga. She drops from no.3 to no.12.
No change at the very top of the order, it is the same for the Under 21 Men’s and Under 12 Women’s listings. In the former, China’s Lin Yun-Ju retains top spot ahead of Frenchman Joe Seyfried and Korea’s Cho Seungmin. They share joint second place with Japan’s Yuto Kizukuri completing the top four names.
Notably for Joe Seyfried it is a climb of four places, for Cho Seungmin two places. Conversely, Yuto Kizukuri drops one position but the players to experience the greatest heartache are Korea’s Lim Jonghoon and Mizuki Oikawa, like Yuto Kizukuri from Japan. Lim Jonghoon drops from no.2 to no.16, Mizuki Oikawa from no.4 to no.10.
Changes but not amongst the leading places on the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings. They remain the same. China’s Chen Ke continues to head the list, followed by Japan’s Saki Shibata, Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Miyuu Kihara, also from Japan.
Similarly on the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings, the top of the order remains the same; Russia’s Elizabet Abraamian retains first place followed by Romania’s Elena Zaharia, China’s Chen Yi and India’s Diya Parag Chitale.
The names the same as in June, the situation also applies on the Under 15 Boys’ World Rankings, only the order changes. China’s Xiang Peng continues in the no.1 spot but for the next two names there is change of places; Kuang Li, also from China is now at no.2, Panama’s Jacobo Vahnish at no.3. Once again Egypt’s Mohamed Azzam completes the top four names.
Monday 2nd July: Latest World Rankings