LONDON, Jan 2: Pakistan’s top player Aamir Atlas Khan rose to his best ever spot of 15 as Egypt’s Karim Darwish moved to number one spot for the first time in the new January PSA Men’s World Squash Rankings issued by the Professional Squash Association, ending the 33-month reign of his illustrious compatriot Amr Shabana.

Darwish, 27, from Cairo , is the 13th player in history to top the men’s world list, but only the second Egyptian.

While Aamir showed improvement to move up a notch, his compatriot Farhan Mehboob who was 20th in the December ratings, has lost his place and is replaced by Finland’s Olli Tuominen who moved up from 22nd position.

After having a barren year in 2006, Karim Darwish claimed just one PSA Tour title the following year. But in 2008, which he began ranked eight in the world, the former world junior champion who used to be largely overshadowed by fellow countrymen like Shabana and Ramy Ashour,- made his mark.

Darwish reached six finals (including the World Open in England in October) and secured three titles, including his first Super Series crowns at the Qatar Classic and Saudi International.

It was his victory in last month’s Saudi International - the richest event of all time - in which he scored his second win of the year over Shabana that began Darwish’s world-ranking breakthrough.Shabana slips to two in the new list but World Open champion Ramy Ashour remains at No 3, thus maintaining Egypt ’s unique hold on the top three ranking positions in the world.

Frenchman Gregory Gaultier, runner-up to Darwish in the Saudi International, holds onto fourth place, with England ’s James Willstrop at No5 and Australia ’s British Open champion at six.

Malaysia’s Ong Beng Hee begins 2009 in the top ten after moving up two places from 12.

Three players boast career-best rankings in the lower half of the top twenty — Pakistan teenager Aamir Atlas Khan rising to a best-ever 15, and Australian Cameron Pilley also moving up a single place to claim a first-time 17th place.

But Botswana-born Englishman Alister Walker, outside the top thirty a year ago, celebrates his maiden appearance in the top twenty by jumping three places to No18.

The top 20 rankings: 1. Karim Darwish (Egy),2. Amr Shabana (Egy), 3.Ramy Ashour (Egy), 4.Gregory Gaultier (France),5.James Will strop (England),6.David Palmer (Aus),7. Thierry Lincou (France), 8.Wael El Hindi (Egy),9.Peter Barker (Eng), 10. Ong Beng Hee (Malaysia),11. Adrian Grant(Eng), 12.Nick Matthew (Eng),13. Mohd Azlan Iskandar (Malaysia),14.Borja Golan (Spain),15. Aamir Atlas Khan (Pak),16.Laurens Jan Anjema (Netherlands), 17. Cameron Pilley (Australia),18.Alister Walker (Eng),19. Stewart Boswell (Australia), 20.Olli Tuominen (Finland).—APP