World No.7 Satomi Watanabe staged a dramatic comeback against World No.31 Anahat Singh to avoid a shock defeat to the Indian teenager at the Sprott Tournament of Champions.
Watanabe, who was looking to reach the quarter finals of the Tournament of Champions for the first time, was 2-0 down to Singh, with the 17-year-old featuring in her first Platinum-level event on the PSA Squash Tour.
The Japanese No.1 altered her game plan from her familiar offensive style to a more conservative brand of squash to quell the relentless attacks from Singh. Watanabe overturned the 2-0 deficit to triumph 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 in 47 minutes.
“It was a really difficult match for me – she [Anahat Singh] played such amazing squash and her winners were insane,” she said.
“All I could do was retrieve those ones which weren’t straight to the point. I was trying to get my game going, but it wasn’t quite happening today. I’m just happy to get through today.
“In the first two games I couldn’t find my rhythm. I tried to forget about what happened in the first two games and play my rhythm and game from the third game onwards.
“I’m glad it worked in the third game – it was like a wakeup call in the last two games. It was a real tough one.”
Elsewhere, England’s Jasmine Hutton earned her second straight quarter-final appearance in New York City after downing Tinne Gilis 3-0.
Reigning champion Hania El Hammamy notched a 3-0 success of her own against fellow Egyptian Kenzy Ayman, while five-time Tournament of Champions winner Nour ElSherbini downed Sana Ibrahim 3-1.
In the men’s half of the draw, 2017 champion Karim Gawad avenged his 2025 defeat to Gregoire Marche by beating the Frenchman in a five-game epic to progress to the quarter finals.
Gawad was defeated by Marche in a 3-2, 76-minute thriller in the first round 12 months ago, however the former World No.1 prevailed in the rematch to advance to the last eight for the first time in six years.
The encounter mirrored their 2025 showdown, with Marche leading 2-1 before Gawad restored parity to force a fifth game. With some enterprising squash played throughout by both, it was Gawad this time who came out on top, winning 7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 in 62 minutes.
World Champion Mostafa Asal beat World Junior Champion Mohamad Zakaria in a monumental 75-minute battle, with the opening game 46 minutes in duration alone. Jonah Bryant ended Timothy Brownell’s run in New York by taking down the US No.1 3-0, and Youssef Ibrahim held off Baptiste Masotti 3-1.
British duo Jonah Bryant and Jasmine Hutton, both unseeded, also advanced.
Results – Women’s Round Two (top half): Sprott Tournament of Champions 2026 presented by Crowd Street
[1] Hania El Hammamy (EGY) bt. Kenzy Ayman (EGY) 3-0: 11-6, 11-3, 11-2 (30m)
[6] Satomi Watanabe (JPN) bt. Anahat Singh (IND) 3-2: 6-11, 6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 11-6 (47m)
Jasmine Hutton (ENG) bt. [7] Tinne Gilis (BEL) 3-0: 11-9, 11-5, 11-4 (31m)
[3] Nour ElSherbini (EGY) bt. Sana Ibrahim (EGY) 3-1: 13-11, 7-11, 11-5, 11-5 (46m)
Results – Men’s Round Two (top half): Sprott Tournament of Champions 2026 presented by Crowd Street
[1] Mostafa Asal (EGY) bt. Mohamad Zakaria (EGY) 3-0: 13-11, 11-5, 11-3 (75m)
[5] Youssef Ibrahim (EGY) bt. Baptiste Masotti (FRA) 3-1: 12-10, 8-11, 12-10, 11-7 (63m)
Jonah Bryant (ENG) bt. Timothy Brownell (USA) 3-0: 11-6, 11-5, 11-5 (35m)
[4] Karim Gawad (EGY) bt. Gregoire Marche (FRA) 3-2: 7-11, 11-4, 8-11, 11-6, 11-5 (62m)
Draw – Women’s Round Two (bottom half): Sprott Tournament of Champions 2026 presented by Crowd Street
[4] Olivia Weaver (USA) v Marina Stefanoni (USA)
Amanda Sobhy (USA) v [5] Sivasangari Subramaniam (MAS)
[8] Fayrouz Aboelkheir (EGY) v Lucy Beecroft (ENG)
Nele Gilis (BEL) v [2] Amina Orfi (EGY)
Draw – Men’s Round Two (bottom half): Sprott Tournament of Champions 2026 presented by Crowd Street
[3] Diego Elias (PER) v Greg Lobban (SCO)
Eain Yow Ng (MAS) v [8] Mohamed ElShorbagy (ENG)
[7] Victor Crouin (FRA) v Iker Pajares (ESP)
Bernat Jaume (ESP) v [2] Paul Coll (NZL)