by Ian Marshall, Editor

Next in line to the illustrious quintet is the most illustrious name of recent years; China’s Ma Long is at no.6 with Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu in immediate pursuit, each climbs one position.

The player to make way is Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto; he drops from no.6 to no.8. He is one place ahead of Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting; he advances one position and changes places with Brazil’s Hugo Calderano. Japan’s Koki Niwa and Jun Mizutani complete the top 12 names.

Changes but nothing spectacular; however, slightly lower down, especially for those present on the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour during August in both Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, there is significant progress.

Vladimir Samsonov of Belarus climbs from no.54 to no.30; England’s Liam Pitchford from no.48 to no.31 and Austria’s Daniel Habesohn from no.53 to no.41. Notably Daniel Habesohn was a quarter-finalist in both Bulgaria and the Czech Republic; in the former it was also the stage reached by Vladimir Samsonov. Most pertinently, in the latter Liam Pitchford was a semi-finalist.

Likewise, in the top 100, there is notable progress for Poland’s Jakub Dyjas, who moves from no.77 to no.62, as there is for Slovakia’s Wang Yang, the Czech Republic’s Lubomir Jancarik and Russia’s Alexander Shibaev. Wang Yang progresses from no.84 to no.69, Lubomir Jancarik from no.112 to no.87, Alexander Shibaev from no.105 to no.90.

Significant progress; alas for Japan’s Jin Ueda, Frenchman Can Akkuzu and Iran’s Noshad Alamiyan, it is quite the reverse. Jin Ueda drops from no.28 to no.47, Can Akkuzu from no.67 to no.81, whilst Noshad Alamiyan formerly at no.78, now occupies the no.94 spot.

Saturday 1st September: Latest World Rankings