Katse is scheduled to face Mahak Talati of India on Tuesday. Talati, 21, is a professional squash player ranked 223 in the Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings, while Katse, 19, holds a ranking of 449, with her highest world ranking achieved at 427.
Koketso Ntshebe, coach at the Alpha Squash Academy, informed MmegiSport that although preparations have not been ideal, Katse is prepared for the challenge. "Katse is making her debut in professional squash through this tournament. It is all about collecting points to ascend the world rankings.
The further you progress in the tournament, the more points you earn," he stated. Ntshebe expressed excitement about these pivotal moments for Katse, marking her as the first professional female squash player from Botswana and consequently, establishing Ntshebe as a professional squash coach in the country.
"We are genuinely excited about this and eagerly anticipating the competition. We are departing for India tomorrow, and the game is scheduled for Tuesday. We aim to progress until the final day," he added. Katse's prowess on the court earned her a spot on Team Botswana during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022.
In a remarkable performance on the show court, she defeated Zulema Chisenga of Zambia 11-9, 11-4, 11-9, setting up a second-round match with top seed and defending champion Joelle King of New Zealand. However, the Commonwealth Games served as a valuable learning experience for the young player.
Preceding the JSW 9th Sunil Verma Memorial, Katse participated in the Harlequins Squash Club 50th-anniversary celebrations in Pretoria, South Africa. She also competed in the Zimbabwe Open Championship in August. Notably, her last appearance at the championship was in 2016 when she participated as a junior athlete.
