by Ian Marshall, Editor
The elevation of Ding Ning means that Liu Shiwen drops one place and is now listed at no.3 in an order of merit that witnesses the five of the top six positions being reserved by China.
Chen Meng drops two places to no.5, Wang Manyu one position to no.6; the interloper is Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa who retains her no.4 ranking. Meanwhile, bronze medallist at the recent Uncle Pop 2018 ITTF Women’s World Cup, Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching advances one rung up the ladder to no.7; notably amongst the top ten names Cheng I-Ching is the only player not from China or Japan.
Next on the list is Japan’s Mima Ito who falls one position and is now in the no.9 spot; she is immediately pursued by players who remain the same positions as in September. Also from Japan, Miu Hirano remains at no.9, followed by China’s Chen Xingtong, Singapore’s Feng Tianwei and Korea Republic’s Suh Hyowon.
Progress for Ding Ning following her efforts in Chengdu, it is the same for DPR Korea’s Kim Song I, Australia’s Jian Fang Lay and Wu Yue of the United States, all on duty in the Chinese city. Kim Song I climbs from no.63 to no.32, Jian Fang Lay from no.74 to no.51; Wu Yue from no.69 to no.52.
Likewise, there is progress for Poland’s Katarzyna Grzybowska-Franc, the Czech Republic’s Dana Cechova and Sweden’s Linda Bergström, as well as for Ukraine’s Margaryta Pesotska, the surprise finalist at the Liebherr 2018 ITTF European Championships.
Katarzyna Grzybowska-Franc moves from no.84 to no.72, Dana Cechova from no.97 to no.85; Linda Bergström from no.102 to no.92; similarly, Margaryta Pesotska appears at no.94, formerly she stood at no.119.
Conversely for the Chinese quartet comprising Sun Yingsha, Wang Yidi, Chen Ke and Zhang Rui, it is down the order. Sun Yingsha falls from no.23 to no.37, Wang Yidi from no.38 to no.54; likewise Chen Ke drops from no.47 to no.68, Zhang Rui from no.53 to no.78.
Also, it is not good news for Japan’s Yui Hamamoto and Sakura Mori; nor Turkey’s Hu Melek. Yui Hamamato drops from no.42 to no.59, Hu Melek from no.57 to no.84; Sakura Mori, who in August stood at no.42, continues her descent. She drops to no.72 to no.100.
Monday 1st October: Latest World Rankings