20-Mar: Mostafa Asal has been banned for 6 weeks, effective immediately…
The PSA’s move to weekly rankings has received some mixed reactions, but one thing it’s done is to make the race to claim the coveted World #1 Ranking a seemingly continuous affair.
There are some minor changes in today’s latest men’s ranking, with Ali Farag and Paul Coll swapping the #4 and #5 positions, while Joel Makin is rewarded for his efforts at Black Ball and Canary Wharf with a return to the top ten.
Much of the talk around Black Ball and Canary Wharf centred around who needed to do what to move into the top spot – in the event none of those scenarios came about and the top three are the still same as they were before the March Gold Rush started.
But, it’s not over, as Mostafa Asal, Diego Elias and Mohamed ElShorbagy all have their sights set on that #1 position, and results this week in Wimbledon could well see changes at the top – either on the 27th March rankings, or the 3rd April when points earned in the 2022 British Open drop off.
Here’s what needs to happen for the contenders …
27-March Rankings
#1 Mostafa Asal
Mostafa will remain at #1 if he wins Optasia, or he is runner-up to anyone other than Diego.
If he doesn’t reach the final, he needs Diego and Mohamed not to be champion.
#2 Diego Elias
Diego will become #1 if he wins the title.
#3 Mohamed ElShorbagy
Mohamed will regain the top spot if the wins the title, as long as Mostafa doesn’t reach the final.
03-April Rankings
Even if no changes happen at the end of the tournament, the British Open effect comes in to play for the next set of rankings, where the situation is more complex …
Mostafa : He’ll stay #1 if he’s won Optasia, or he reaches the semi-finals and neither Diego or Mohamed win the title.
Diego : He’ll become #1if he’s won Optasia, or he reaches the final or semis with both Mostafa and Mohamed failing to reach those rounds.
Mohamed : He’ll become #1 if he’s won the title – even if he’s beaten Mostafa in the final – or if he’s runner-up with Mostafa falling before the semis and Diego not reaching the final.
In a nutshell : if one of these three win the title this week, they will be world #1 come 3rd April, and also the next week for the start of this year’s British Open.
