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THERE aren't many sports in which Wales can boast a representative in both the women's and the men's world top 25 - but squash can.
Alex Gough from Newport is Wales' highest ranked player. The 36-year-old is currently ranked 19th in the men's world rankings, four places better than 31-year-old Tegwen Malik from Swansea.
Gough has been Welsh Champion for the last five years and reached the quarter-finals of this year's ISS Canary Wharf Classic, where he lost to France's Thierry Lincou, the world No 4.
Last year Gough made two semi-finals - at the Irish Open and West North American Open. Unfortunately Gough lost both in final-game deciders.
Malik is currently ranked 23rd in the women's rankings, just five places below her September 2000 career best when she was rated 18.
This year Malik has reached two quarter-finals, losing to Australia's Kasey Brown in the Buler Challenge Cup and Laura-Jane Lengthorn of England at the Irish Open, where she reached the semi-finals in 2005.
Both Gough and Malik represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. Gough was knocked out in the third round by England's Lee Beachill, the same stage that team-mate Gavin Jones from Maesteg went out.
Jones, ranked 39, had a fantastic 2005 - reaching five finals and winning the Baltimore City Open and Nairobi Open.
Malik was knocked out in the second round in Melbourne.

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