Watanabe Becomes First Japanese Player to Reach Top 20 of PSA Women’s World Rankings

24-year-old Satomi Watanabe has become the first Japanese player in history – male or female – to reach the top 20 of the PSA World Rankings.

Here’s our look at the most notable movers of the week, as of Monday April 24.

Satomi Watanabe

New Ranking: No.19

Previous Ranking: No.21

History-maker Satomi Watanabe has secured a career-high ranking of No.19 this week after the Yokohama native won the Women’s Kinetic Orange Ball 30K Challenger event yesterday in Boynton Beach, Florida.

Watanabe was seeded third for the event and overcame top seed Farida Mohamed in the title decider to earn her eighth PSA Tour title.

Georgina Kennedy

New Ranking: No.8

Previous Ranking: No.10

Kennedy overtakes compatriot Sarah-Jane Perry to become the England No.1 and returns to No.8 for the first time since August 2022.

The 26-year-old’s rise up the rankings comes after Perry’s runner-up points for the 2022 Manchester Open expired, meaning Perry’s average points total has now dipped below Kennedy’s.

Nada Abbas

New Ranking: No.23

Previous Ranking: No.29

Egypt’s Nada Abbas has risen six places to reach No.23.

The 22-year-old’s last tournament appearance was a last 16 exit at the British Open to Perry. 

Jasmine Hutton

New Ranking: No.25

Previous Ranking: No.28

England’s Jasmine Hutton moves up three places to No.25 after winning the Cannon Kirk Gillen Markets Irish Squash Open on Saturday.

The 24-year-old overcame Malaysia’s Aira Azman in a 3-1 final win to secure her sixth PSA trophy.

Other Notable Top 100 Movers

Rachel Arnold: No.27 to No.26

Hana Ramadan: No.31 to No.27

Mariam Metwally: No.32 to No.31

Sana Ibrahim: No.33 to No.32

Fayrouz Aboelkheir: No.41 to No.39

Biggest Mover

Anna Shumway: No.301 to No.218