Kenyan tennis star Angela Okutoyi makes history in the United States
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 20.04.26. | 12:02
She is looking to turn professional at the conclusion of her NCAA career
Angella Okutoyi and Auburn University have won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Women's Tennis Championship for the first time, with the Kenyan sensation making a huge contribution with a crucial Singles and Doubles wins, some under immense pressure.
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The Auburn Tigers women’s tennis team senior was part of the squad that beat Louisiana State University (LSU) 4-3, making program history on Sunday, at the Headington Family Tennis Center in Norman.
Auburn took all of the momentum in the doubles point, with Okutoyi partnering Merna Refaat at the No.2 position, taking an early 3-1 lead over LSU's Kenna Erickson and Ella McDonald.
Leading 4-2, the Auburn duo won the next two games to clinch the doubles point for Auburn.
The Kenyan was back on the court in a No. 3 position game against McDonald who took a 4-0 lead over Okutoyi to begin the first set, but the Auburn senior came back to win six straight games and claim the set 6-4.
Trailing 4-2 in the second set, Okutoyi came back to tie it 4-4 after a break on a deciding point. After the set was forced into a tiebreak, Okutoyi pulled out a 7-4 win to claim the match and tie the team score at 3-3.
The match was decided by a three-set win by freshman Eva Ionescu at the No. 6 singles position.
"Amazing for the team," Auburn head coach Jordan Szabo told secsports.com after the championship. "That was such a nail-biter and no team down the stretch deserved to lose. We maybe could have won the match about an hour earlier, but that's the way it goes when all the best teams are playing each other. For Eva (Ionescu) to be in that position to come through, you know, these are memories she'll have for the rest of her life."
He continued, "Getting off the court after winning a quick doubles point was big. We were in a battle and they found a way to turn the match. We weren't able to turn any matches, which is a really difficult position to be in, but we got it done. Amazing performance from Angie (Okutoyi) to fight back in that first set after being down 0-4 and DJ Bennett, who comfortably beat one of the best players in college tennis."
The two time African junior champion, who became the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title at the girls’ juniors Wimbledon event, partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp, and also the first representative of Kenya to win a girls’ junior singles Grand Slam match, at the 2022 Australian Open, continues to trail a blaze for the nation and continent, while looking to turn professional after a successful college career.