The 28-year-old from Cairo first topped the list in April 2006 - taking over from Canada's Jonathon Power - since then he has won nine PSA Tour titles, including the 2007 World Open in Bermuda, and appeared in 12 finals.

After a wrist injury layoff at the end of last year, Shabana began his 2008 campaign by reaching the PACE Canadian Classic final in Toronto last month.

Still snapping at Shabana's heels is compatriot Ramy Ashour, the 20-year-old who beat his fellow countryman in the Toronto final - and now celebrates his tenth successive month in second place.

And while Frenchman Gregory Gaultier also holds onto third place, James Willstrop leaps two places to # 4 to become the highest-ranked Englishman for the first time for well over a year.  The 24-year-old Yorkshireman is enjoying a sparkling run of form - including winning two Tour titles (the Mamut English Open and Case Swedish Open) in three successive final appearances - as well as successfully retaining his British National crown last month.

But Willstrop's England team-mate Peter Barker also has much to celebrate - his long-awaited debut in the world top ten!  With ten Tour titles to his credit, the 24-year-old Londoner reached his 14th final at the Swedish Open last month and is rewarded with a new world ranking of 10.

Also celebrating a breakthrough is Cameron Pilley, the tall Australian who makes his top 20 debut at 20.  In an already successful 2008 campaign, the UK-based 25-year-old from New South Wales won the National Capital Open in the US state of Maryland last month, then went north of the border to reach the quarter-finals of the 5-star Canadian Classic as a non-seed.

            1          [1]        Amr Shabana          EGY

            2          [2]        Ramy Ashour            EGY

            3          [3]        Gregory Gaultier       FRA

            4          [6]        James Willstrop        England

            5          [4]        David Palmer            AUS

            6          [5]        Nick Matthew            England

            7          [7]        Thierry Lincou           FRA

            8          [8]        Karim Darwish          EGY

            9          [9]        Wael El Hindi            EGY

            10       [12]     Peter Barker               England

            11       [10]     Lee Beachill                England

            12       [11]     John White                  Scotland

            13       [13]     Mohammed Abbas   EGY

            14       [14]     Stewart Boswell         AUS

            15       [15]     Adrian Grant               England

            16       [17]     Olli Tuominen              FIN

            17       [18]     Ong Beng Hee            MAS

            18       [16]     Mohd Azlan Iskandar  MAS

            19       [19]     Laurens Jan Anjema  NED

            20       [23]     Cameron Pilley           AUS