01 Dec 2016

Japan, wherever you look on the Women’s World Ranking list issued in Thursday 1st December, players from the Land of the Rising Sun attract the eye; the depth of female talent now available in the Asian country is surely the greatest it has ever been.

In the higher echelons, Kasumi Ishikawa, winner at the recent 2016 ITTF World Tour Swedish Open, climbs one place to no.5; whilst Mima Ito and Miu Hirano change places. Mima Ito is now at no.9, Miu Hirano at no.11, the exact opposite of one month ago.

by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

It is for Kasumi Ishikawa, just one place behind her career best of no.4, a position she held in the first two months of 2015 and earlier this year from March to June; for Mima Ito, she equals her best ever. She occupied the ninth spot some ten months ago in March, as well as for the three month period from June to August.

Approaching new heights but for four young Japanese ladies it is new heights and major progress for a fifth.

Yui Hamamoto, beaten by Mima Ito in the Women’s Singles final at the 2016 ITTF World Tour Hybiome Austrian Open, climbs from no.36 to no.23; Honoka Hashimoto from no.45 to no.34 and Sakura Mori from no.54 to no.41. Further down the order, Miyu Nagasaki, who continues to lead the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings ahead of colleague Miyuu Kato and Russia’s Maria Tailakova, advances from no.119 to no.88.

The previous best for Yui Hamamoto was no.31 earlier this year in July, for Honoka Hashimoto no.43 in February and June; whilst Miyu Nagasaki reached no.83 in August. Notably for Sakura Mori, it was continued progress, one month earlier had been her highest status.

Meanwhile, not to be left out of the party, Miyu Kato advances from no.47 to no.37; her previous best was six months ago when in June she was named at no.29.

Encouraging signs for Japan and there is more; they have a further five players listed in the top 50 of the Women’s World Rankings. Ai Fukuhara remains at no.12, Hina Hayata at no.24; Hitomi Sato drops two places to no.25, whilst Yuka Ishigaki and Misaki Morizono both climb the list.

Yuka Ishigaki advances from no.31 to no.29; Misaki Morizono from no.40 to no.35.

Notable progress for aspiring Japanese players, there is also significant progress for Korea’s Suh Hyowon, Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut, Hong Kong’s Minnie Soo Wai Yam and Hungary’s Dora Madarasz.

Suh Hyowon advances from no.26 to no.19 and thus regains a prestigious top 20 place; whilst Suthasini Sawettabut moves from no.67 to no.58, Minnie Soo Wai Yam from no.78 to no.67 and Dora Madarasz from no.102 to no.86.

It is for Minnie Soo Wai Yam, who won the Junior Girls’ Singles title at the Hungarian Junior and Cadet Open, progress from her highest prior status; she also occupied to no.78 position earlier this year in August.

Somewhat differently, for Suh Hyowon, Suthasini Sawettabut and Dora Madarasz, it is approaching their previous best.

Suh Hyowon advanced to no.8 in April, May and June 2014 as well as in January 2015; also in 2015 Suthasini Sawettabut reached no.57 in September and Dora Madarasz no.71 in March.

Changes but at the top of the list there is no change; Ding Ning leads the list for the third consecutive month and for 38th time in her career. She returned to the top of the order earlier this year in October, having first scaled the heights in November 2011.

Once again next in line comes Liu Shiwen, Li Xiaoxia and Zhu Yuling; they complete the top four places ahead of Kasumi Ishikawa. Singapore’s Feng Tianwei drops one place to no.6 with Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching and Germany’s Han Ying once again reserving the seventh and eighth positions.

China’s Chen Meng is at no.10, sandwiched between Mima Ito and Miu Hirano, names that are prominent on the Under 21 Women’s World Rankings and on the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings.

On the latter, they occupy the top two places, having changed positions from one month earlier; whilst on the Under 21 Women’s Rankings they are next in line to Zhu Yuling.

Yui Hamamoto and Hina Hayata also change positions to complete the top four names on the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings.

Thursday 1st December: Latest World Rankings

World Ranking Ding Ning Mima Ito Kasumi Ishikawa Miu Hirano