(by Steve Hopkins)

There was movement at the top of the World Rankings this week as Liang Jingkun moved from No.5 to No.3, Lin Yun-Ju moved up to No.6, and Xu Xin is up two spots to No.8.  Fan Zhendong  and Ma Long remain in the first and second spots.  Calderano and Harimoto are in 4th and 5th (after Liang).  Ovtcharov is No. 7, then Xu Xin, then Timo Boll, and Lin Gaoyuan rounds out the Top 10.

Patrick Franziska has jumped over Pitchford, Moregard, and Aruna to get to No. 13.  Franziska is the third German in the World Top 15, making the German team the second ranked behind China (who now have No.1, 2, and 3).  Sweden and Korea are the other two countries with three players in the Top 25.  Kanak Jha fell one slot to No. 31 – his one spot drop is due to the 20 spot jump by Yukiya Uda, who is now No. 29.

The main change on the Women’s Rankings is that Wang Manyu and Mima Ito swapped spots giving China that top three spots (Chen Meng, Sun Yingsha, and Wang Manyu).  Adriana Diaz has entered the Top 10, moving up two spots from No. 11.   Lily Zhang is the top American at No. 37 and Jennifer Wu is now ranked at No. 53.

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