by Ian Marshall, ITTF Publications Editor

Immediately below, the Japanese trio of Kasumi Ishikawa, Miu Hirano and Mima Ito once again occupy the next three places with Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, as the previous month, occupying the no.8 spot.

Next in line is China’s Sun Yingsha, with colleague Wang Manyu, the winner in Linz and the player against whom Sun Yingsha experienced a semi-final defeat, now being at no.11; previously Wang Manyu was at no.14. Sandwiched in between the two Chinese teenagers is Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, she remains in the no.10 position.

Germany’s Han Ying completes the top 12 names, falling three places; she replaces Japan’s Hitomi Sato who is now one place lower at no.13.

Progress for Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, there is also most notable progress for compatriots Gu Yuting and Gu Ruochen as there is for Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem and Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu.

Doo Hoi Kem moves from no.32 to no.19, Gu Yuting from no.41 to no.22; likewise, Chen Szu-Yu advances from no.43 to no.32, Gu Ruochen from no.62 to no.50.

Meanwhile, at the top of the age group listings there is just one change of note. On the Under 15 Girls’ World Rankings, Crystal Wang of the United States moves from no.5 to no.3; she replaces China’s Huang Yingqi who drops one place to no.4. Japan’s Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki retain the respective top two positions.

Japan in the first two places; it is the same on the Under 21 Women’s Rankings and on the Under 18 Girls’ World Rankings where there is no change from the previous month. Moreover, the names are identical on both lists.

Miu Hirano leads followed by Mima Ito and Sun Yingsha