BJK Cup 2023: Angella Okutoyi gives Kenya the advantage in third place playoff

Team Kenya were handed a massive advantage in their quest to clinching third place in the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup coming to an end on Saturday when Angella Okutoyi recorded a straight set victory over Zimbabwe's Sasha Chimedza.

In the match that took 1 hour and ten minutes, the Kenyan tennis ace won 6-3, 6-4 to put Kenya 1-0 ahead with two more matches to go.

BJK Cup 2023: Heartbreak for Kenya as Nigeria deny hosts top spot in Pool A

The win by Okutoyi was the perfect response to yesterday's 2-1 loss against Nigeria that saw the hosts miss out on the chance of playing Tunisia in the promotion playoff match to Euro/Africa Group II as they had an inferior number of won matches (9) compared to Morocco's (11) with the two teams tied on 4 points.

“The match was not that bad today especially after our loss yesterday. I just wanted to come out here and represent my team strongly and I am glad I did that today by getting the win.

She was serving really well and I also tried to avoid her backhand which worked for me. Overall, we just want to bounce back strongly and finish the tournament on a high," Okutoyi said after her victory.

Cynthia Wanjala will next represent Kenya in the second Singles match where she will face Rufaro Magarira.

Zimbabwe, who finished second in Pool B, will be looking to tie the affair to force the game into the Doubles decider.

Elsewhere, Morocco have one hand on sealing promotion to Group II after Aya El Aouni beat Tunisia's Ben Hassen Feryel 6-0, 7-5 in the first Singles to hand her side the advantage.

All Tunisian hopes will now be on Chiraz Bechri as she faces Yasmine Kabbaj in the second Singles.