World ranking: Chuqin extends lead, Lebrun rises two places

(by Steve Hopkins, photo WTT)

Last year’s China Smash win gave Wang Chuqin 10,900 ranking points, building a cushion of almost 3,000 points ahead of No. 2 Lin Shidong. Shidong has 8,075 points, a buffer of 2,025 between his spot and Hugo Calderano at No. 3. No other position in the rankings is as safe, as most leads from one spot to the next are just a few hundred points – leads that can be overcome in one event.

After Calderano, Harimoto is in fourth place. Felix Lebrun gained two positions and moved up to number 5. The two players Lebrun passed are Truls Moregard (now number 6) and Liang Jingkun at number 7. Benedikt Duda remains the best German player at number 8. Xiang Peng occupies number 9. And Darko Jorgic rounds out the Top 10 at number 10.

China is of course the strongest country at the moment with four players in the top 10 – including the two top positions. It’s interesting to note that they currently only have four players in the Top 20, and at many points over the decades there have been six or seven Chinese players in that top tier. France, Germany and Japan all have three players in the Top 20 – and Korea has almost reached that level, as Jang Woojin is ranked No. 21 while having two teammates in the Top 20.

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