(by Steve Hopkins)

After a busy month of October, the ITTF and WTT Calendars are coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean we are done with movement at the top of the World Rankings.  Fan Zhendong continues to dominate – his 7700 points is 3150 ahead of second place.  But second place, it the main story with the latest update – Tomokazu Harimoto  has jumped up from No. 4 to No. 2.  Harimoto is not ahead of Ma Long and Wang Chuqin (who did not play in the last WTT event and may be done for the year).

The rest of the Top 10 is unchanged: Moregard, Liang, Calderano, Yun-Ju, Ovtcharov, and Jorgic at No. 10. Interesting to note that the points from the most recent WTT Feeder event in Dusseldorf is not yet reflected in these rankings, so Ovtcharov (who won in Dusseldorf) should see some additional movement as the year comes to a close.  Similarly, Kanak Jha (currently tied with Ruwen Filus with 1175 points in the 21/22 spot) is hopeful that the WTT Feeder event in Fort Lauderdale will help him get into the Top 20.  In fact, Kanak is only 5 points behind Anton Kallberg (who is World No. 20) and is only 70 points behind Jang Woojin at No. 18).

No changes in the Top 20 on the Women’s side.  Sun Yingsha leads four Chinese women in a row (followed by Chen Meng, Wang Many, and Wang Yidi).  Mima Ito is No. 5 and then Hina Hayata.  Chen Xingtong is seventh and Kasumi Ishikawa is eighth.  The Top 10 is rounded out by the only two women not from China or Japan, No. 9 is Doo Hoi Kem of Hong Kong, and No. 10 is Germany’s Ying Han.  Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz will likely end the year at No. 11.  USA’s Lily Zhang is No. 25.

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