https://www.nikkansports.com/battle/news/202508210002136.html
>— How is your injury?
>Watanabe: “(Under my left eye) When Nakajima went for a diving senton, I desperately tried to block it by sticking out my leg, but that ended up hurting my own leg as well, and I wasn’t able to think of any other way to defend myself. But it was more like a scrape, so I’ll be fine for the finals.”
>— In the semifinals, you also hurt your right leg, didn’t you?
>Watanabe: “Yeah, I injured it in the first half. I took a 619 in a way I wasn’t used to, and when I landed on the floor outside the ring, I instantly tweaked something like a tendon in my leg. So I think my ability to dodge or make quick decisions was duller than usual. But at this point, it’s mostly healed. I even did dance rehearsal today (laughs). It’s healed enough that I want everyone to feel reassured.”
>— That shows just how fierce the semifinal with Nakajima was.
>Watanabe: "I honestly didn’t expect to end up this banged up.”
>— What do you think allowed you to push through such a desperate fight and reach the finals?
>Watanabe: “It wasn’t just the damage I took from her moves — I felt unexpected pain I hadn’t foreseen. Without that, I don’t think my determination would have gotten this strong. Through matches I’ve always told myself, ‘I can still go!’ and kept growing little by little, but this time I feel like my mentality has grown as much as in the past 4–5 years combined. My heart has gotten stronger.”
>— Surpassing Nakajima in terms of mentality is quite something, isn’t it?
>Watanabe: “Nakajima is someone who embodies hard work, so watching her has made me feel like I can’t slack off either, and that I have to train every day. Because I see how much effort she puts in regularly, I’ve had this drive of wanting to catch up to her in the amount of effort, and to go beyond her in terms of mental strength.”