Dipika Pallikal returns to top 10 of squash world rankings

New Delhi, Feb 5 (IANS): India’s top squash player Dipika Pallikal has returned to the top 10 of the world rankings for the first time since December 2012.

The 22-year-old moved two places to be no. 10 in the latest Women’s Squash Association (WSA) rankings despite enduring a tough start to the year.

Dipika’s improvement in the rankings can be attributed to her performance towards the end of 2013 when she won the $35,000 Macau Open and reached the quarterfinals of the $50,000 China Open in Shanghai.

The Chennai-born player, who was recently honoured with the Padma Shri award, opened her 2014 campaign at the Tournament of Champions in New York where she lost in the qualifiers to Annie Au of Hong Kong.

Last week, she lost to England’s World No. 4 Alison Waters in the first round of the Cleveland Classic.

“It has been a tough start indeed. Now I can’t wait to get back on the court and do some damage,” Pallikal told IANS from Kuwait.

“My results last year helped me move up the rankings. Now the focus will be on playing well and remaining in the top 10,” said Pallikal, who is aiming to be in the top five by the end of the year.

Dipika is India’s first top 10 player.