Farag Starts New Season as Men’s World No.1

Egypt’s Ali Farag will start the 2021-22 season as the men’s World No.1 after he overtook compatriot Mohamed ElShorbagy to claim top spot following the release of the men’s PSA World Rankings today (September 1).

Farag saw his nine-month reign at World No.1 come to an end last month when ElShorbagy retook the World No.1 spot, but ElShorbagy’s semi-final exit at the Allam British Open – combined with Farag’s run to the final in Hull – has seen the ranking change hands once again, with Farag set to enjoy a 21st month atop the rankings.

British Open champion Paul Coll has followed his first major title win with a rise into the top three for the first time in his career – meaning he is the highest ranked male Kiwi since Ross Norman, who reached No.2 in March, 1987. Coll beat Farag in August’s British Open men’s final to become the first male Kiwi to lift the prestigious trophy.

Coll’s rise to No.3 sees Tarek Momen drop to No.4, while Marwan ElShorbagy completes the top five. The rest of the top 10 is unchanged, with Karim Abdel Gawad (No.6), Fares Dessouky (No.7), Diego Elias (No.8), Mostafa Asal (No.9) and Joel Makin (No.10) all holding onto their positions.

Colombia’s Miguel Rodriguez stays at No.11 ahead of Frenchman Gregoire Marche in No.12, who rises one place to a career-high ranking. India’s Saurav Ghosal moves up two spots to No.13 ahead of Mazen Hesham in No.14 and Zahed Salem in No.15.

Mohamed Abouelghar falls four places to No.16, while Youssef Ibrahim moves up to a career-high No.17 ranking. Malaysia’s Eain Yow Ng has also achieved his career-high ranking to date after a four-place rise to No.18 made him the first Malaysian man since Ong Beng Hee in January 2013 to rank inside the top 20.

Omar Mosaad drops two places to No.19, while his fellow Egyptian Youssef Soliman breaks into the top 20 for the first time after a 10-place increase.

India’s Kanhav Nanavati is the biggest mover on the men’s tour, rising 212 places to No.483 after reaching the quarter-finals of the HCL SRFI Indian Tour – Chennai 3. Egypt’s Mohamed Sharaf, meanwhile, has risen 208 spots to No.487.

PSA Men’s World Rankings Top 20 – September 2021