R3: A match too far for Yasshmita against Satomi

Satomi : To be fair, I watched all her matches, not just from the main draw but from the qualifying as well, and I knew she had a lot of confidence coming in. So I knew I couldn’t show her any weakness, whether a lack of concentration or being edgy.

Ranking is just a number, but obviously I’m seeded slightly higher, so I was trying to present myself well on court today and make sure I didn’t show any weakness, rush or edginess. I wanted to be really solid, because I know how skilful she is. If I show her any loose balls, she can put them away really nicely.

So I just tried to focus on my game plan and be my usual self when I stepped on court, without thinking, “Oh, she was a lucky loser who came through to round three.” She’s still a squash player, and she’s trying to be there. It’s just that her ranking isn’t quite there yet, but she will be one day. So I treat her like any other player I face, and I think that changes my mindset a bit and helps me work around things better.

I’m really happy with the way I played today.