Spirited Okutoyi denied W15 title on home soil

Kenya's 18 year old tennis superstar Angella Okutoyi was denied a chance of making yet another piece of history, this time on home soil, as she was Sunday beaten to the W15 ITF Women's World Tennis Tour held at the Karen Country Club by Germany's 22 year old Emily Seibold.

Looking to become the first ever Kenyan to clinch the international tournament that had attracted a total of 45 players from 21 countries, Okutoyi, who made history back in July when she became the first player from the country to lift a Grand Slam title by winning the 2022 Wimbledon Girls Doubles crown, fell short of the required mark as she succumbed to a straight set 3-6, 2-6 defeat against Seibold who was seeded first going into the tournament

Prior to the championship decider, the former African Junior champion was hoping to tap into her brilliant showing to the finale as she had dropped only one set in the four matches she played.

The lost set coming in her gripping victory in Saturday's semifinal where she defeated second-seed Romeo Caroline from France 6- 2, 3-6, 7-6.

But she came up against formidable opposition in Seibold who had not dropped any set in the competition since the first round. In the end, the German prodigy ended up proving too hot to handle as she outwitted Okutoyi in front of her home fans.

In the earlier rounds, the teenager had knocked out third-seed Emma Tothova from Slovakia in a straight set 6-1, 6-4 win in one hour and seven minutes.

That win had been preceded by a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing of India's Sharanya Shett and 6-4, 6-4 win against Uzbekistan eighth-seed Sevil Yuldasheva 6-4, 6-4 in the first and second round respectively.

Roselida Asumwa, Okutoyi 's twin sister, was the only other Kenyan who managed to get to the second round after receiving a wild card.

She however fell to a gruelling 3-6, 7-6(5), 4-6 defeat against eighth seeded Sharmada Balu in a match that went on for 3 hours and 47 minutes.