RHYL-born world bronze medal winner Tesni Evans hit another landmark by becoming the highest ranked Welsh women squash player in history.

The 24-year-old Stars Academy in partnership with Denbighshire Leisure ace, has just been propelled to the unprecedented number 15 in the latest world ratings, up one rung from last month.

This notable distinction follows Evans’s triumph in collecting a bronze at the recent World Mixed Doubles Championships in Manchester and she followed up this recognition by qualifying for the final stages of the prestigious China Open in Shanghai.

After swiftly despatching local challenger Peng Zhen Ni in three straight games, the reigning Welsh champion progressed to the final qualifying round by toppling world-ranked number 19 Joey Chan of Malaysia for the first time, 3-1 to secure a ticket into the main draw.

This set the Wales’ hope a massive task with a pairing against former world number one Nicol David, also from Malaysia. Having dropped to number six in recent months, David showed she remains a formidable figure in world squash by being elevated herself to number five in the latest September listings.

Evans still managed to keep her legendary opponent at full stretch before finally bowing out at the end of a classic encounter that took four riveting games to resolve.

More pleasing news for the Evans family has come with the rise of Tesni’s younger brother Emyr to a best-yet 153 in the world men’s list. This is his third surge in the space of four months having previously advanced from 164 in May to 159 in July.