MONASTIR, TUNSIA – Auburn's Angella Okutoyi made history by becoming the second Kenyan player to win a professional singles tennis event by capturing the win at the ITF W15 Monastir on Sunday. Okutoyi, who was a wild card for the tournament, posted five singles victories to claim the title.
"Well, it only took 29 years, but a Kenyan has won another professional tournament!" Okutoyi said after the win. "This means everything to me because I've come so far. Seeing that I am changing this sport in my country is massive for me. Winning the W15 in Monastir will open doors for me as well as show young kids in Kenya and Africa that we can all achieve what we put our minds to, I have proven that."
The rising sophomore defeated Helena Buchwald of Germany, Yasmine Mansouri of France, Anastasia Abbagnato of Italy, Zeel Desai of India and Isabella Harvison of the United States during the event. Her largest upset of the event occurred in the first round with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Buchwald, who holds an ITF singles ranking of 59th. Of the five matches, Okutoyi only required a third set in her match against Abbagnato.
Okutoyi joins Paul Wekesa, who won the Andorra Challenger in 1994, as the only other Kenyan to win a singles event on the ITF World Tennis Tour.
Okutoyi, who posted a 15-10 singles dual match record for the Tigers in 2023, will return for her second season on the Plains in 2022-23.
Auburn’s Okutoyi claims historic title at ITF W15 Monastir
