Gaultier also became the oldest world number one of all time in this month’s rankings after the 34-year-old won his third British Open crown in Hull.

Australia's Sarah Fitz-Gerald held the previous record, with Gaultier breaking it by just a month.

Fitz-Gerald last topped the women's rankings in February 2003.

Gaultier's rise to the top of the men's chart comes after he won three tournaments in a row - the Swedish Open, the Windy City Open and the British Open.

His current unbeaten run of 14 matches is the longest of his career.

The Frenchman had sealed the Windy City Open title in Chicago on March 1.

After beating compatriot Mathieu Castagnet in the quarter-finals at the British Open, his semi-final contest with Egypt’s Ramy Ashour was brought to a premature end after the 2013 champion suffered a hip injury.

Gaultier then secured the crown as he came from a game down to beat England’s Nick Matthew in the final.

Massaro moved up to world number two for the first time since November 2016 after she became the first female English player since Janet Morgan in 1951 to win a second British Open title.

The 33-year-old, who also won in 2013, claimed emphatic victories over Egyptian duo Raneem El Welily and defending champion Nour El Sherbini as she made it through to a fourth British Open final in five years.

Her win over El Sherbini saw her overturn a two-game deficit to set up a first all-English women’s final since 1991, with compatriot Sarah-Jane Perry.

Massaro took the victory in four games to earn her third title of the season.