China’s 21 year old Ma Long is the new no.1 ranked player on planet earth.
Previously listed at no.2 in December 2009, he changes places with compatriot Wang Hao, the reigning World champion on the World Rankings issued by the International Table Tennis Federation on Sunday 3rd January 2010.
Ma Long, the new no.1 Photo By: tabletennisphotos.com
It is the first time in his career that Ma Long, winner at the Tournament of Champions in December 2009, has assumed the top place.
Rise to the Top
Ma Long first entered the World Rankings in October 2003 at no.300 and first entered the top 100 in October 2005 at no.51.
In March 2007 he secured a top 10 place at no.8 then two years later in March 2009 he secured the no.2 spot, one month later he dropped one place to no.3 but in May he was back in second berth, a place he maintained for the rest of the year.
Wang Hao
Meanwhile, for Wang Hao he first clinched the no.1 spot in December 2004 but only held on to the precious place for one month; in January 2005 he fell to no.3.
He returned to the top position in October 2007 and occupied that place until being dethroned by Ma Long.
Next in Line
Ma Lin (China) remains at no.3 on the newly published Men’s World Rankings followed by Timo Boll (Germany), Wang Liqin (China), Vladimir Samsonov (Belarus) and Hao Shuai (China).
Michael Maze (Denmark) changes places with Chen Qi (China) and is now at no.8 with the Chinese star one place lower whilst Jun Mizutani (Japan) completes the top 10.
Milestones
Mizutani moves from no.12 to no.10 with Joo Se Hyuk falling one place to no.11. It is for Jun Mizutani, the highest World Ranking of his career, his previous best being no.11 in September and November 2009.
Similarly, it is somewhat of a milestone for Michael Maze; he recaptures his best ever World Ranking having stood at no.8 in October and November 2009.
Progress
Progress for Jun Mizutani and in the top 50 there is also progress for Xu Xin (China) and Kaii Yoshida (Japan); the former advances from no.18 to no.15, the latter from no.27 to no.23. The player to suffer is Jiang Tianyi (Hong Kong), he drops from no.26 to no.30.
In the age group lists it is all change with the new ages coming into effect.
Under 21 Men’s Ranking
The Under 21 rankings demand the year of birth to be 1989 or later, Ma Long, formerly at no.1, is now too old being born in 1988 and is replaced in the top spot by Jun Mizutani.
Xu Xin is at no.2 followed by Kenta Matsudaira (Japan). Zhang Jike (China), Dimitrij Ovtcharov (Germany) and Jiang Tianyi, all born in 1988 and highly ranked in 2009, leave the age group.
Under 18 Boys
Similarly in the Under 18 and Under Boys’ Rankings, the New Year necessitates changes.
Kenta Matsudaira (Japan), Jin Yixiong (China) and Seo Hyun Deok (Korea), who occupied the top three places in the Under 18 Boys’ Rankings in December 2009, being born in 1991 now leave the age group.
They are replaced respectively by Yan (China), Kim Min Seok (Korea) and Fang Bo (China); all players who competed in the Volkswagen World Junior Championships in December 2009.
Under 15 Boys
New no.1 ranked players in the Under 21 and Under 18 male rankings but not in the Under 15 Boys’ Ranking.
China’s Ying Hang retains his place with compatriots Zheng Peifeng and Lin Gaoyuang the next in line.
Koki Niwa (Japan) formerly at no.2 and Chen Jingqi who in December occupied the no.4 position leave the age group. They were born in 1994.
