by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor
Progress, there is also notable for several of her colleagues amongst the top 50 names; Hina Hayata climbs from no.24 to no.17, Miyu Kato from no.30 to no.20 and Yui Hamamoto from no.44 to no.27.
It is for Miyu Kato the highest listing of her career, the previous best being two months ago in June; for Hina Hayata and Yui Hamamoto it is a step towards prior heights. Earlier this year in May, Hina Hayata reached no.16; three months earlier in February, Yui Hamamoto was at no.16.
Likewise, further down the listings there is more significant Japanese progress. Miyu Maeda moves from no.69 to no.56, Mizuki Morizono from no.97 to no.74 and Asao Sasao from no.109 to no.84.
Notably for Mizuki Morizono and for Asao Sasao, it is their highest career ranking; the prior best for Mizuki Morizono was six months ago in March, for Asuka Sasao, three months ago in June. Similar to Hina Hayata and Yui Hamamoto, for Miyu Maeda it is progress towards the highest ever listing.
Major advancement; it is the same for Korea’s Jeon Jihee, Chinese Taipei’s Huang Yi-Hua and Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz.
Huang Yi-Hua climbs from 81 to no.69 but has some way to go before she reaches her career best of no.17 achieved in March 2011. Jeon Jihee progresses five places to no.15, her prior high, being no.11 in 2016 when she achieved the position in January of that year, as well as from August to September. Also for Adriana Diaz, it is major progress, she moves from no.92 to no.80, a position she held in May and June 2016.
Meanwhile, at the top of the list, the top four places in the guise of China’s Ding Ning, Chen Meng, Zhu Yuling and Liu Shiwen remain the same; for Ding Ning she completes one year without a break at the head of the order since regaining pole position in October 2016. Overall it is the 47th time that her name has appeared in first place. She first ascended to top position in November 2011.
Four Chinese names at the top of the order, next in line is Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa who climbs from no.7 to no.5; she is one place ahead of colleague Miu Hirano, who drops one position to no.6.
One place lower for Miu Hirano; for Feng Tianwei, it is a drop of two places to no.8, as it is for Cheng I-Ching at no.10, as both make way for Mima Ito. Han Ying remains at no.9 as does Hitomi Sato at no.12. Sun Yingsha falls one place to no.10.
The status quo at the top of the order in the Women’s World Rankings; it is the same on the Under 21 Women’s and Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings where the top three names in both instances read Miu Hirano and Mima Ito followed by Sun Yingsha.
Japan to the fore, it is the same on the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings; Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki continue to head the list with China’s Huang Yingqi now being the next in line. She changes places with Amy Wang of the United States.
World Rankings: Tuesday 5th September