Women’s Kinetic Challenger: Watanabe Takes Biggest Win

Japan’s Satomi Watanabe secured her biggest win to date as she downed top seed Farida Mohamed to win the Women’s Kinetic Orange Ball 30K Challenger.

Prior to this event, Watanabe’s biggest career title had been a Challenger 10 level crown. She won the Qscan Sandgate Open in Australia last year, with her most recent win then coming on home soil at the Dynam Cup 11 months ago.

She came into the Challenger 30 level event at the Kinetic Indoor Racquet Club as the No.3 seed, and received an opening round bye in Florida. The Japanese No.1 then started her week with a confident 21-minute win over Egypt’s Rana Ismail.

Watanabe had to survive a fightback in the quarter finals. She was two games to the good, having won the opening two games both by 11-4 scorelines. However, Egypt’s Hana Moataz fought back, winning the third on a tie-break before then also taking the fourth. The Japanese No.1 was able to regroup well, though, and she won the decider comfortably to book her semi-final spot.

She then did not play in the last four, as Wales’ Emily Whitlock pulled out prior to the match, giving Watanabe a free pass through to the final. She then took on top seed Farida Mohamed in the final, and downed the World No.17 in straight games to secure her biggest title to date.

Results: Women’s Kinetic Orange Ball 30K Challenger
Final
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [1] Farida Mohamed (EGY) 3-0: 11-7, 11-8, 11-8 (34m)

Semi-Finals
[1] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) 3-1:11-5, 7-11, 11-8, 11-7 (42m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [2] Emily Whitlock (WAL): Walkover

Quarter Finals
[1] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt [8] Nicole Bunyan (CAN) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (22m)
[4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt [6] Jana Shiha (EGY) 3-1: 11-7, 9-11, 12-10, 11-3 (36m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt [7] Hana Moataz (EGY) 3-2: 11-4, 11-4, 10-12, 9-11, 11-3 (58m)
[2] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Jessica Turnbull (AUS) 3-0: 11-6, 11-7, 11-3 (31m)

Second Round
[1] Farida Mohamed (EGY) bt Millie Tomlinson (ENG) 3-0: 11-6, 11-4, 11-7 (24m)
[8] Nicole Bunyan (CAN) bt Ineta Mackevica (LAT) 3-0: 11-8, 11-9, 11-7 (25m)
[6] Jana Shiha (EGY) bt Salma Eltayeb (EGY) 3-2: 10-12, 11-9, 10-12, 11-6, 12-10 (50m)
[4] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS) bt Malak Khafagy (EGY) 3-0: 11-9, 11-8, 11-5 (31m)
[3] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt Rana Ismail (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-3 (21m)
[7] Hana Moataz (EGY) bt Ainaa Amani (MAS) 3-1: 11-7, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8 (30m)
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt [5] Rachel Arnold (MAS) 3-2: 11-7, 7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7 (44m)
[2] Emily Whitlock (WAL) bt Karina Tyma (POL) 3-1: 11-9, 11-13, 11-2, 11-3 (46m)

First Round
Millie Tomlinson (ENG) bt Laura Tovar (COL) 3-0: 11-3, 11-7, 11-5 (23m)
Ineta Mackevica (LAT) bt [WC] Anna Shumway (USA) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-7 (19m)
Salma Eltayeb (EGY) bt Wen Li Lai (MAS) 3-0: 11-4, 11-6, 11-6 (25m)
Malak Khafagy (EGY) bt [WC] Hannah Craig (IRL) 3-0: 11-6, 11-6, 11-1 (26m)
Rana Ismail (EGY) bt Katerina Tycova (GER) 3-1: 11-9, 11-7, 7-11, 11-4 (38m)
Ainaa Amani (MAS) bt Sarah Cardwell (AUS) 3-0: 11-2, 11-7, 11-6 (18m)
Jessica Turnbull (AUS) bt Diana Garcia (MEX) 3-1: 11-8, 11-13, 11-4, 11-3 (38m)
Karina Tyma (POL) bt Au Yeong Wai Yhann (SGP) 3-2: 8-11, 11-9, 11-8, 4-11, 11-1 (46m)