Tennis ace Okutoyi reveals career changing moment leading to eventful 2022 season

Kenya’s 18 year old tennis sensation Angella Okutoyi has revealed the most important moment that changed the trajectory of her whole career leading to an eventful 2022 season that saw the youngster make history in the sport.

Back in July, Okutoyi became the first Kenyan player to lift a Grand Slam title when she emerged as the Wimbledon Girls Doubles champion alongside her Dutch partner Rose Marie Nijkamp in only her third Grand Slam event after bows in the Australian and French Open.

Speaking in an interview, Okutoyi revealed that winning the African Junior Champion back in November 2021 was the game changing moment that enabled her to go on and become a housel=hold name n the sport and to a trailblazing 2022 season.

In the tournament held in Sousse, Tunisia, the youngster became the first Kenyan to lift the African Junior Championship after seeing off Moroccan Aya El Anouni 6-3, 6-3, a result that propelled her to the top of the rankings in the continent, consequently enabling her to feature in Grand Slam tournaments among getting other benefits.

Angella Okutoyi – Tennis barrier breaker who rose from a children's orphanage to the Grand Slam

“Winning the African Junior Championship really opened a lot of doors for me because my ranking went up and I became the first Kenyan and the first African to be ranked number one. That really gave me the opportunity to qualify for the four (Junior) Grand Slams in 2022 and to be in the main draw.

And not only the Grand Slams, I got a lot of chances to be in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) teams and to travel around the tour where I got to meet different people and coaches. I also got to play in different higher grade tournaments which gave me a lot of experience and exposure which really helped me in my tennis till now,” the played said in the interview on Sport On!

Having gone on to lift the Wimbledon title, Okutoyi also revealed where she drew the inspiration leading to her historic win that saw her become the first Kenyan to achieve such a feat.

“I remember when I was in the hotel room just before playing the semis. I was watching the senior’s mixed doubles which was in the finals. I saw the team that won (Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk) and how they were celebrating and in my head I just wanted to be in the same place. From the semis, I kept a calm mind and I believe watching that match gave me the courage and belief to go on to do it,” she said.

Okutoyi is currently enjoying a career high 1145th position in the Women’s Tennis Association singles rankings as she waits to move to USA next year after landing a full time scholarship at Auburn University.