(by Steve Hopkins, photo ETTU)
Wang Chuqin, Truls Moregard, Tomokazu Harimoto, Felix Lebrun, and Lin Shidong are the top five this week. Hugo Calderano has slid down to No. 6, followed by Lin Yun-Ju, Sora Matsushima, Jang Woojin, and Dan Qiu.
Flavien Coton continues to move up the rankings, with the Frenchman jumping up to No. 20. Coton is now the third ranked player from France, behind the Lebrun brothers. French depth includes Simon Gauzy at No. 21, and Thibault Poret at No. 26. The top American is Kanak Jha at No. 27. Jha is also second in this hemisphere behind Calderano (the are also the top two non-European and non-Asian players).
On the women’s side, Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu have maintained big leads in the rankings and will remain first and second for the foreseeable future. Miwa Harimoto has risen two spots to No. 3. Chen Xingtong (China), Zhu Yuling (Macao), Chen Yi, Kuai Man, and Wang Yidi (all China) are 4-8. Sabine Winger of Germany, and Hina Hayata of Japan round out the Top 10. Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz is the top player not from Asia or Europe at No. 18. No. 19 is another German player, Ying Han, and No. 20 is Hana Goda of Egypt. Three Americans of note: Lily Zhang is no. 39, Amy Wang is no. 44, and Sally Moyland has jumped 24 spots up to No. 62.
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