LONDON, England, CMC – Guyana’s resurgent squash ace Nicolette Fernandes is now on the verge of returning to the Top-100 in the world rankings.
The July ratings list for the Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) shows Fernandes at 101st, up three places from her position in June.
Back — from a lengthy injury lay-off — to the international pro-circuit earlier this year, Fernandes had made a huge leap from 215th to 113th in the April ratings and has been inching closer to the Top-100 since then.
Fernandes, who turned 26 years old last month, had been sidelined for almost two years with a knee injury and made a pro circuit return in March when she defeated several top-100 players while reaching the semi-finals of the Eindhoven Open and the final of the Swiss Open.
The Eindhoven Open was her first appearance on the WISPA circuit since the Qatar Open in April 2007.
Fernandes had attained a personal best WISPA rating of No.27 in May 2007 before knee surgery and rehab stalled her career and left her outside the World’s top 200.
Malaysia’s Nicol David retains the No.1 spot ahead of American Natalie Grainger, while Australian Natalie Grinham has displaced her sister Rachael Grinham in the No.3 spot.
Women’s International Squash Players Association (WISPA) Rankings – July
1 Nicol David (MAS)
2 Natalie Grainger (USA)
3 Natalie Grinham (NED)
4 Rachael Grinham (AUS)
5 Jenny Duncalf (ENG)
6 Alison Waters (ENG)
7 Omneya Abdel Kawy (EGY)
8 Madeline Perry (IRL)
9 Laura Lengthorn-Massaro (ENG)
10 Shelley Kitchen (NZL)
101st Nicolette Fernandes (GUY)