by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Once again, next in line are his colleagues, Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin; thus since November 2015, the top three names are the same and in the same order, a total of 22 publications.
Likewise there is no change in the immediately ensuing names; Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov remains at no.4, China’s Zhang Jike continues in the no.5 spot. Immediately below, Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Timo Boll, also from Germany, change places; Jun Mizutani is now at no.6, Timo Boll at no.7. Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting remains at no.8, followed once again as in July by Japan’s Koki Niwa.
The status quo but immediately below, Vladimir Samsonov, the winner of the Men’s Singles event at the Seamaster 2017 ITTF World Tour Australian Open, climbs two places to no.12. Notably, the player he beat in the final, Frenchman Simon Gauzy, advances from no.16 to no.14 and thus equals the highest listing of his career. He reached the same position last November and earlier this year in January.
Sandwiched in between, China’s Fang Bo drops one place to 11, likewise, it is one position lower for Korea’s Lee Sangsu, he is now at no.12; Chinese Taipei’s Chuang Chih-Yuan retains the no.13 position.
Significant progress for Simon Gauzy in that he equals his best ever status; for Japan’s Yuya Oshima and Masaki Yoshida, it is their best ever status. Yuya Oshima moves from no.19 to no.17, Masaki Yoshida from his prior best of no.22 to no.18; the previous highest for Yuya Oshima was no.18 in January 2016.
Notably the advance of Masaki Yoshida means that six Japanese players now appear in the top 20 names; in addition to Jun Mizutani, Koki Niwa and Yuya Oshima, Kenta Matsudaira is at no.16, Tomokazu Harimoto at no.20. No country can boast more, most pertinently it is one more than China.
Worthy progress, further down the list there is also positive news for England’s Paul Drinkhall, Korea’s Cho Seungmin and India’s Sathiyan Gnanasekaran.
Cho Seungmin and Sathiyan Gnanasekaran both achieve career highs; Cho Seungmin moves from no.89 to no.63, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran from no.110 to no.90. The previous best for both was earlier this year in June, when Cho Seungmin stood at no.82, Sathiyan Gnanasekaran at no.102.
New heights for Paul Drinkhall, it is an approach towards his previous highest status; he climbs from no.48 to no.38, his highest being no.32 in September 2016.
Changes but not amongst the age group listings where the prominent name is that of Tomakazu Harimoto. Once again he stands at no.2 on the Under 21 Men’s Rankings behind Fan Zhendong but ahead of Brazil’s Hugo Calderano.
On the Under 18 Boys’ World Rankings and Under 15 Boys’ World Rankings, he retains top spot. Colleague Yuto Kizukuri remains in second place on the former with China’s Niu Guankai in second spot; on the latter Niu Guangkai appears once more in second spot with Korea’s Cho Daeseong continuing in third position.
World Rankings: Wednesday 2nd August 2017
World Rankings: Policy for Inclusion in 2017 ITTF Calendar
World Rankings: Basic Description
World Rankings: Rating Points and Bonus Points Tables
World Rankings: Ranking Default Policy for No Show