For the first time in the history of the PSA Squash Tour Finals, a Japanese player will feature in the event as Satomi Watanabe makes her debut in the season ending competition.
The World No.7 was ranked as low at No.16 in the Road to Tour Finals standings at the turn of the year but after an extremely impressive second half of the season, she catapulted her way into the top eight after a win at the Squash in the Land 2025 and reaching the quarter finals of the PSA World Championships.
The event gets underway on 23 June from Toronto’s Revival Film Studios, the SmartCentres PSA Squash Tour Finals will be held in Canada for the first time in the tournament’s history. Watanabe features in Group B alongside No.2 seed Weaver and fellow debutants Subramaniam and Aboelkheir.
We caught up with the 26-year-old to discuss her thoughts ahead of the season finale.
Satomi, you’ve qualified for the PSA Squash Tour finals for the first time in your career. How did it feel when you were confirmed for the event?
“I was honestly overjoyed to be confirmed for the PSA Squash Tour Finals. Being selected as one of the top 8 players of the season was a moment where I truly felt all the hard work had paid off. It’s something I’ve dreamed of, and reaching this milestone has given me a lot of confidence and motivation to keep pushing forward.”
What are your memories of the event from years gone by and is it something that you’ve always wanted to play in?
“It’s always been a dream to play in the Tour Finals. I remember watching the top players compete and feeling incredibly inspired. The atmosphere and level of squash were amazing! It made me want to be part of it one day.”
You were 16th in the Tour Finals rankings at the turn of the year in January. What was it about the second half of the season that catapulted you into the top 8?
“I didn’t focus too much on the rankings and just concentrated on each match. In the second half of the season, I felt more consistent and confident, and I think that led to the results and helped me break into the top 8.
What has been your highlight of the 2024/25 season?
“Reaching the quarter finals at the World Championships was definitely the highlight of my season. It was one of my main goals this year, so I was really happy to achieve it.”
Sitting at No.7 in the world right now, has that surpassed your expectations for this season? Or was that a target for yourself?
“My goal for this season was to break into the top 10, so being at No.7 has definitely exceeded my expectations a little. I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made.”
You’ve been drawn in Group A with Weaver, Subramaniam and Aboelkheir. You must be viewing that as a good chance to progress to the semis – is that in your thoughts and how determined are you to do that?
“There is definitely a chance to progress, and of course, everyone is playing to win, so my goal is to advance. However, I try not to put too much pressure on myself and focus on doing my best in each match. If the results come with that, I’ll be very happy.”
All matches will be held at Toronto’s Revival Film Studios and matches will be streamed live on SQUASHTV. The semi-finals and finals will also be shown live by PSA’s broadcast partners. Tickets can be purchased here.
Squash fans can stay up-to-date with news from the tournament by following the PSA Squash Tour on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, WhatsApp a
