LONDON, England (CMC) – Guyana’s Caribbean squash champion Nicolette Fernandes achieved a career-best world ranking of 27th, Tuesday, when the Women's International Squash Players Association (WISPA) released its May ratings on Monday.
Up two places from her April position of 29th, Fernandes now occupies the highest world rating she has ever had, one better than her previous best of 28th.
The 23-year-old Fernandes held the No.28 spot for three consecutive months from January to March, before slipping one place last month.
Fernandes is the most successful squash player ever -- male or female -- from the Caribbean and won back-to-back Guyana Sportswoman-of-the-year awards 2005 and 2006. She also won the most improved women’s player prize for 2006 at the World Squash Awards at the RAC Club London in last December.
Fernandes has had three unsuccessful outings so far this year, her last appearance coming at the US$82 000 Qatar Classic in mid-April when she lost in the first round to current World No.12 Laura Lengthorn, of Britain.
Malaysia’s Nicole David, who emerged champion at the Qatar Classic and the Kuwait Open in April, retains the World No.1 spot although she had a remarkable 51-game unbeaten run snapped in the Seoul Open final.
Australian Natalie Grinham beat her 9-4, 9-4, 9-0 in the final.
Grinham is World No.2 and her sister Rachael Grinham is No.3, followed by England’s Tania Bailey and Vicky Botwright.
In a few adjustments to the Top-10 ratings, Ireland’s Madeline Perry jumps from No.10 to seventh, relegating former World No.1 Vanessa Atkinson, of the Netherlands, to ninth.
Alison Waters loses her Top-10 position, slipping from ninth to 11th, and her English colleague Jenny Duncalf enters the Top-10 at No.10, up one place from 11th last month.