(by Steve Hopkins)
Wang Chuqin and Fan Zhendong remain numbers 1 and 2 in the ITTF Rankings. Ma Long has moved up to No. 3, jumping over Liang Jingkun (now No. 4). Lin Gaoyuan has moved up three spots to No. 5 – giving China the top five spots in the rankings.
Felix Lebrun is sixth, the first non-Chinese player. Lin Yun-Ju is seventh with Hugo Calderano, Tomokazu Harimoto, and Dang Qiu rounding out the Top 10. No. 11 is Jang Woojin, followed by Anton Kallberg. Dimitrij Ovtcharov is now 13 (Germany’s second player in the rankings). Egypt’s Omar Assar is up two slots to No. 14 followed by Freitas, Lin Shidong, Freanziska, Jorgic, Aruna, and Moregard.
Canada’s Edward Ly is up 6 spots to No. 36. Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador is No. 74 and teammate Daniel Gonzalez is No. 85. USA’s top ranked player is Ma Jinbao at No. 93 and Kanak Jha is our second highest player at No. 140.
On the Women’s side, there are no changes in the Top 7 (Sun, Wang Manyu, Wang Yidi, Chen Meng, Chen Xingtong, Hina Hayata, Shin Yubin). Miwa Harimoto jumped four spots to No. 8. Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz is up a spot to No. 9. Bernadette Szocs is No. 10. And USA’s Lily Zhang is No. 33 and Amy Wang is No. 35.
The Saudi Smash is scheduled for this week and with 2000 points to the winner, we can expect to see some big changes in the next Rankings.
Visit ButterflyOnline.com for the latest table tennis news and results.
