Double blessing for star Okutoyi in W25 championship

It has been a great day for Kenya’s tennis star, Angela Okutoyi as she not only defeated France’s Lucie Nguyen Tan in a straight set 6-4, 6-4 to become the first-ever Kenyan to make it to the final of a W25 tournament, she won the doubles alongside Burundi’s Sada Nahimana.

She will face Germany’s Lena Papadakis in the Singles final on Saturday.

She had been knocked out in the second round of the inaugural W25 tourney played at the Karen Country Club between 11 and 17 December 2023 but managed to bounce back to achieve the historic feat.

“I am happy because I have worked hard for this and it is paying off. I believed in myself and knew that I was strong and that I belonged in this game. I knew she was a competitor so I just came out taking it one point at a time.

Last week, I was not comfortable with the surface because I was still in the hard court state but I put in the work to come back this week and play my tennis and I feel like I fought till the end,” the 19-year-old said after her exploits.

She stepped on the court hours later alongside Nahimana to play Jessie Aney (USA) and Lena Papadakis (Germany) in the doubles final to win 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 and clinch the W25-Nairobi women's doubles title.

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This was Okutoyi’s first time to win a Doubles final having given their all to lift the title in front of a charged crowd that cheered them on to victory.

“I have played two W25 Doubles finals before but I have never been able to get the gold. Getting it here is a special thing and partnering with Nahimana is incredible because she is a good African tennis player and I enjoyed playing with her,” Okutoyi told the media after her win.

“It is always tough when you lose in Singles earlier but honestly this win is good. For me to play with Angella in front of the crowd was amazing and I enjoyed it,” Nahimana offered.