NAIROBI, KENYA – Auburn sophomore Angella Okutyoi has become the first Kenyan player to ever sweep the singles and doubles titles during an ITF W25 event on Saturday at the W25 Nairobi, hosted by the International Tennis Federation.
Okutoyi claimed the doubles title on Friday after defeating Jessie Aney and Lena Papadakis 6-4, 3-6 (10-7) with partner Sada Nahimana and earned the singles title by defeating Germany's Papadakis 6-3, 1-6, 6-1 on Saturday.
"I am really grateful for this win, it means so much to me," Okutoyi said after the event. "I feel like hard work really pays off if you stay focused and disciplined which is what I've been doing. I know last week wasn't it, but this week I really tried to stay focused and here I am with two golds now!"
The Auburn sophomore claimed five singles victories to win the singles title, including a 4-6, 6-0, 6-3 comeback win over Italy's Miriana Tona, the six seed in the singles main draw, in the quarterfinal round. After defeating Tona, Okutoyi took down France's Lucie Nguyen Tan in straight sets in the semifinal round before claiming the title in the finals against Papadakis. After splitting the first two sets in the final match, Okutoyi jumped out to a 5-0 start to the decisive third set before claiming it in dominating fashion 6-1.
In the doubles main draw, Okutoyi and Nahimana earned three upset wins over higher seeded teams to claim the title on Friday. The duo defeated the four-seed Diletta Cherubini and Martina Colmegna 6-3, 6-3 in the quarterfinals as well as the two-seed Maria Fernanda Herazo Gonzalez and Ksenia Laskutova 6-2, 3-6 (11-9). In the semifinals. During the final match, Okutoyi and Nahimana trailed 3-1 in the third set before completing the comeback to take down Aney and Papadakis, the three-seed in the draw, 6-4, 3-6 (10-7).
Okutoyi made history in July by becoming the second Kenyan player to earn a professional singles tennis title by capturing the ITF W15 Monastir. The only other Kenyan to win a professional tennis title is Paul Wekesa, who won the Andorra Challenger in 1994.
Okutoyi and the Tigers will begin the 2024 spring schedule on January 13-15 at the South Carolina Invite in Columbia, South Carolina.
Okutoyi wins singles and doubles titles at ITF W25 in Nairobi
