Wikipedia

Satomi Watanabe

Satomi Watanabe
CountryJapan
Born (1999-01-15) January 15, 1999 (age 26)
Yokohama, Japan
Turned pro2014
RetiredActive
PlaysRight Handed
Racquet usedTecnifibre
Women's singles
Highest rankingNo. 6 (June 2025)
Current rankingNo. 7 (3 November 2025)
Medal record
Women's squash
Representing  Japan
Asian Games
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Jakarta Team
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Hangzhou Singles
World Games
Gold medal – first place 2025 Chengdu Singles

Satomi Watanabe (渡邉 聡美, Watanabe Satomi; born 15 January 1999) is a Japanese professional squash player.[1] She reached a career high ranking of number 6 in the world during June 2025.[2]

Early life

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Watanabe was born in Yokohama on January 15 1999. She started playing squash at 8 years old, before moving to Malaysia at the age of 12 to train with top coaches there for five years.[3]

Career

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Watanabe has won multiple junior and professional PSA tournaments and has represented Japan internationally.

All-Japan Championships

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Watanabe won her first All-Japan championship in 2017 at just 18 years old - making her the youngest player ever to have done so. She went on to win another 4 consecutive titles, before sitting out the 2023 tournament. She then won the title once again in 2024.[3]

International career

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In 2022, she was part of the Japanese team at the 2022 Women's World Team Squash Championships and was voted the MVP for the event after winning all of her six matches.[4]

In 2023, Watanabe became the first Japanese player to achieve a top-20 ranking in the PSA World Rankings, reaching 19th ranking after winning the Women’s Kinetic Orange Ball 30K Challenger event, played in Boynton Beach, Florida.[5]

In January 2025, Watanabe won her 10th PSA title after securing victory in Cleveland's Squash in the Land during the 2024–25 PSA Squash Tour.[6] She beat the 1st, 2nd, and 4th seeded players to achieve this victory.[3]

In March 2025, Watanabe became the first Japanese player to achieve a top-10 PSA World Ranking.[3]

World Games

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In August 2025, Watanabe became the first Japanese squash player to win a gold medal at the world games, after defeating France’s Marie Stephan.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "PSA World Tour Rankings - The Professional Squash Association". psaworldtour.com. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Squash Info - Satomi Watanabe". www.squashinfo.com.
  3. ^ a b c d Olympics.com. "渡邉聡美のすごさを知る5の視点　日本スカッシュ界の未来を切り拓く逸材". Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Japan's Satomi Watanabe announced as MVP of 2022 WSF Women's World Team Championship". World Squash. Retrieved 19 December 2022.
  5. ^ "WATANABE BECOMES FIRST JAPANESE PLAYER TO REACH TOP 20 OF PSA WOMEN'S WORLD RANKINGS". www.psasquashtour.com. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  6. ^ "$88,750 Women's Squash in the Land 2025, Playhouse Square Outcalt Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio, USA". Squash Info. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
  7. ^ "【スカッシュ】渡邉聡美が金メダル獲得！！WORLD GAMES 2025". スポーツナビ (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 August 2025.