Qscan Sandgate Open: Watanabe Claims Third Win Of Season

Japanese No.1 Satomi Watanabe has continued her great form to take a third win of the 2021-2022 season, as she overcame Malaysia’s Aira Azman to win the Qscan Sandgate Open, coming through her four matches in the tournament without dropping a game.

Watanabe, who claimed the University of Birmingham Open title last month to secure her place at the PSA World Championships in Cairo next week, started off her campaign at the Sandgate Squash Club in Deagon, Australia with a comprehensive win over Malta’s Colette Sultana, dropping just seven points in the match.

She then downed No.4 seed Yee Xin Yang in the quarter finals, before overcoming the tournament’s top seed, Australian Jessica Turnbull, also in straight games, in the semi-finals, to set up s surprise meeting with Azman in the final in Deagon on Monday evening.

It was the Japanese woman that continued her great form with another victory, as she defeated Malaysia’s Aira Azman in straight games in the final, spending just 21 minutes on court. She now has three wins on the season, after victories in the Dynam Cup in September, and in Birmingham last month.

Results: Qscan Sandgate Open
Final
[7] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [6] Aira Azman (MAS) 3-0: 11-7, 11-9, 11-8 (21m)

Semi-Finals
[7] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [1] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 3-0: 13-11, 11-0, 11-3 (22m)
[6] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [8] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-5, 11-8 (17m)

Quarter Finals
[1] Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [5] Ainaa Amani (MAS) 3-1: 12-10, 11-1, 6-11, 11-9 (36m)
[7] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [4] Yee Xin Ying (MAS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-5, 11-4 (22m)
[6] Aira Azman (MAS) bt [3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-1: 8-11, 11-5, 11-8, 11-9 (31m)
[8] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) bt [2] Tamika Hunt (AUS) 3-2: 4-11, 5-11, 11-4, 11-9, 13-11 (49m)

Round One
[5] Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt Akari Midorikawa (JPN) 3-0: 11-5, 11-3, 11-4 (19m)
[7] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt Colette Sultana (MLT) 3-0: 11-3, 11-3, 11-1 (17m)
[4] Yee Xin Yang (MAS) bt Thanusaa Uthrian (MAS) 3-1: 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-6 (32m)
[3] Sarah Cardwell (AUS) bt Sophie Fadaely (AUS) 3-0: 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 (19m)
[6] Aira Azman (MAS) bt Madison Lyon (AUS) 3-0: 12-10, 11-9, 11-5 (23m)
[8] Sehveetrraa Kumar (MAS) bt Tayla Mounter (ENG) 3-0: 11-5, 11-4, 11-4 (16m)