- Angela Okutoyi has won Kenya a gold medal in tennis singles at the African Games in Accra
- The Kenyan tennis sensation on Thursday qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024
- She defeated Egyptian Lamis Al-Hussein to win the gold medal
Angela Okutoyi has won Kenya a gold medal in tennis singles at the African Games in Accra.
The Kenyan tennis sensation on Thursday qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024 following her victory in Accra.
Angela Okutoyi Win in Accra
She defeated Egyptian tennis star Lamis Al-Hussein 6-2, 6-4 to bag the African title in tennis. Okutoyi, 20, controlled the match against the Egyptian from the beginning to the end.
Ranked 562nd in the WTA singles chart, breaking yet another record in her incredible journey through the sport cast a shadow of hope on her future in tennis.
With a first-round bye, Okutoyi demonstrated her supremacy on the court before moving on to the semifinals.
Then, with similar scores of 6-6, 3-1, and 6-6, 3-3, respectively, she defeated Mostafa Rafaat of Egypt and Naomi Chileshe of Zambia.
The stage was prepared for her historic victory as she defeated Aya Elaouni of Morocco 6-6, 4-4 to earn her a spot in the semi-finals.
Angela Okutoyi. Photo/People Daily
Did Angela Okutoyi Win Wimbledon?
Okutoyi made history in 2022 by becoming the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title in women’s doubles. She achieved this at the Wimbledon junior doubles championship partnering with Rose Marie Nijkamp from the Netherlands.
Their road to victory wasn’t a straight path. Okutoyi actually lost her first match in the singles competition. But inspired by well wishes from Iga Swiatek, she turned her focus to doubles and came out on top with Nijkamp in a thrilling three-set final against a Canadian team. This win is a huge accomplishment for Okutoyi and a moment of national pride for Kenya.
Who is Angela Okutoyi?
She rose from the ashes like a phoenix to live her dream despite growing up without her parents around. Her grandmother raised her together with her sister Roselinda Asumwa. Their mother passed on when giving birth to Okutoyi.
Both Asumwa and Okutoyi are tennis players. The former plays in International Tennis Federation (ITF) fixtures and local tournaments. They credit their grandmother for being a strong supporter of their calling to play tennis.
She always accompanied them to all their tennis tournaments especially those held in Nairobi. Her dedication to seeing her granddaughters pursue their dreams motivated Okutoyi so much and she gave tennis her best.
The Kenyan tennis star is currently studying at Auburn University. Okutoyi began competing in tennis at the age of 10, when she participated in the East Africa Zonal Championships.
She was always a promising tennis talent who competed at a young age and won titles in Kenyan and African International Tennis Federation (ITF) events.
Angela Okutoyi Tennis Career
2021 was Okutoyi’s best year ever because it was the first time in her career that she was named an African Junior Tennis Champion.
Seeded second then, she won the championship and became the first female winner of the continent. Her seeding came after defeating Aya El Aouni (126) of Morocco in the finals held in Sousse, Tunisia, in November 2021, 6-3, 6-3.
Angela Okutoyi during a past training session. Photo/Capital FM
The competitions she participated in in 2021 improved her on-court performance and she tried her luck at the Australian Open in 2022.
Okutoyi on January 23 made history for Kenya at the Australian Open Junior Championships.
The fast-rising tennis player overcame Italy’s Federico Urgesi in their first round to become the first-ever Kenyan player to win a Grand Slam juniors match.
Adding to the grandeur of the historic spectacle, was the 18-year-old inaugural match at the international event.
She was thrilled to make it to the finals, stating that she liked the entire experience because it only happens once a year. She was eighteen at the time.
“It’s truly a dream come true to be able to compete in a Grand Slam competition. Because it only happens once a year, it’s quite an experience. I’m thrilled and honoured to be where I am,” she said.
Her 2022 appearance in Melbourne made her the first Kenyan tennis player to ever player at the Australian Open.
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