Okutoyi, Kibet top seeds in Kenya Open return

2022 Wimbledon Girls’ Doubles champion Angella Okutoyi and Ibrahim Kibet will be looking to defend their respective titles when the Kenya Open tennis championships serve off next week from 7-13 August 2023 at the Nairobi Club.

In the tournament making its return after a four-year hiatus, Okutoyi, who is fresh from winning her first ever professional title, and Kibet are the top seeds which follows their victory in the 2018 edition where a then fourteen-year-old Okutoyi made history as the youngest-ever Kenya Open winner.

The two-time former African champion upset three-time Kenya Open champion Shufaa Changawa winning 6-1,7-6 while Kibet defeated Ismael Changawa 7-5, 6-4 to win the men's title.

The tournament was not held in 2019 due to a lack of a financier and was also shelved between 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022, it was dropped due to a crowded calendar.

According to Tennis Kenya (TK) executive officer Nancy Nduku, they were pleased to have the tournament back on the calendar as she also noted that they expected a big turnout of players for the prestigious event.

"We are expecting a good turnout considering this is our flagship tournament which brings together the best players not only locally but from the continent and even Europe,” Nduku noted.

Okutoyi’s twin sister Roselida Asumwa is the second seed, Tanzania’s Shana Mao is seeded third, Ester Nankulange also from Tanzania is fourth while Alicia Owegi, who represented Kenya in the 2023 Billie Jean King Cup completes the top five.

In the men’s category, Kael Shah and Keean Shah, who represented Kenya in the 2023 Davis Cup are the second and third seeds. Ernest Habiyambere from Rwanda and Kevin Cheruiyot round up the top five.

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The event, which has also attracted players from USA, Argentina, Congo, Cameroon, Uganda and Sudan will feature five categories; singles (men and women), doubles, mixed doubles, wheelchair singles (men and women) and doubles alongside men and women seniors (50 plus years) doubles and mixed doubles in the same category.

The total prize money for the tournament will be Sh700,000 with the entry fee set at Sh2000.

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The winners in the men’s and women’s Singles will walk away with Kes 75,000.

Qualifying matches will be on 5th and 6th August 2023 and the Main Draw from Monday 7th August 2023.