The Australian Institute of Sport squash player Kasey Brown has risen another place to number six in the world on the latest rankings issued by the Women’s International Squash Players’ Association.

The New York-based Brown won the season-opening Harrow Greenwich open at the start of the year and as a result has leapfrogged Irishwoman Madeline Perry to a career-high ranking.

She is one place behind Toowoomba’s former AIS player Rachael Grinham who has stayed at number five in the world.

‘It is very hard to move up in the rankings at this point so I feel like the hard work I have put in these last seven years is paying off,’ Brown said.

‘I owe a lot to Rod Martin, the AIS and the Australian Sports Commission for their support throughout my career.’

Fellow AIS athlete Donna Urquhart was the third Australian in the top 20 at number 17, down one place, while the AIS’ Lisa Camilleri climbed two places to 31.

Meanwhile Cameron Pilley, who overtook David Palmer as leading Australian in January, maintained his Australian number one ranking at 12 in the world.

Palmer was up one spot to 15, while Canberra’s Stewart Boswell made it three Australians in the top 20, remaining steady at 19.