Okutoyi leads Kenya to 2025 Billie Jean King Cup clean sweep on opening day
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 04.08.25. | 17:28
The team is looking to finally land promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II
Kenya’s tennis team began their chase for an elusive promotion to the Billie Jean King Cup Europe/Africa Group II on a bright note on Monday, 4 August, as they recorded a clean 3-0 sweep over their pool opponents Tunisia in Windhoek, Namibia.
The women’s team, taking part in the Africa Group III event at Central Tennis Court in Olympia, summoned the efforts of African Games champion Angella Okutoyi to dismiss their North African opponents in two singles and one doubles match-up.
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Kicking off action on Court Eight was Okutoyi’s compatriot - Melissa Nanjala Mwakha - who dropped only one game en route to a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0 drubbing of Lina Soussi.
The second match saw rising star Okutoyi, 21, overcome Mouna Bouzgarrou by a similar set margin, prevailing 6-2,6-4.
Angella Okutoyi 🇰🇪 beats Mouna Bouzgarrou of Tunisia 🇹🇳 6-2, 6-4 to help Kenya enjoy a 2-0 lead at the ongoing 2025 Billie Jean King Cup in Windhoek, Namibia 🇳🇦👇🏾 pic.twitter.com/h4hkyL7Q7m
— Kenya One Sports 🇰🇪 (@TonnyKe11) August 4, 2025
With the best-of-three contest already sealed, Team Kenya added some gloss on the eventful afternoon by winning once again in the doubles, steered by Okutoyi and her other teammate, Cynthia Wanjala.
Together, the pair defeated Ranim Rassil and Bouzgrarrou 6-1, 6-3, to mark the end of an eventful day.
The win in the hard-court tournament on day one, therefore, puts Kenya in good stead if they are to admonish the near promotion misses of 2023 and 2024, where the team finished third on both occasions.
Kenya’s team, which also contains Stacy Yego and Alicia Owegi, is in Group C alongside Tunisia, Zimbabwe and Algeria, where all teams are competing in a round-robin format from Monday, 4 to Wednesday, 6 August.
Winners of each pool then play each other in a second round-robin from Thursday, 7 to Saturday, 9 August, to determine the final rankings.
The top team will earn promotion to the Europe/Africa Group II in 2026, with nations finishing at the bottom of their respective pools playing each other in a second round-robin to determine the last-placed team being relegated to Africa Group IV next year.
Kenya, with a win under wraps, play Algeria on Tuesday, 5 August.
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