Angella Okutoyi retains Kenya Open title

US-based Angella Okutoyi is hoping to improve her WTA Singles Ranking after breaking into the top-1,000, just a day before she retained her Kenya Open title on the Nairobi Club clay courts on Saturday.

Top-seeded Okutoyi, who returns to Auburn University on Monday for her second semester, defeated Tanzanian third-seed Shana Mao 6-1, 6-1 in singles final to retain the title she won in 2018 by stunning Shufaa Changawa.

The tournament was not held in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic and lack of finances.  

Okutoyi, who was also seeded top with her twin sister Roselida Asumwa in doubles, saw off Tanzanians Mao and Ester Nankulange, who were seeded second, 6-1, 6-0 in doubles final.

US-based Kael Shah bagged the men’s Kenya Open crown by beating 2022 Rwanda Open champion Albert Njogu 6-2, 6-3 and also won the doubles partnering his brother Keean Shah against Njogu/Kevin Cheruiyot 6-1, 6-2.

The winners of the singles categories pocketed Sh75,000 each, while the winning pair in doubles split Sh12,000 each.

Tanzanian second seed Vosta Lengonela upset top-seed Rajab Athman 6-2, 6-4 in men’s wheelchair singles. They got Sh20,000 and Sh10,000, respectively.

“The tournament has been great for me. I like that everyone came out to compete. Even though they knew I was the favourite, they put in all their efforts. It was such a good thing to see players do that from singles to wheelchair all the way to the seniors. It was lovely to watch all of them. I’m happy that this event came back,” said Okutoyi.

Mao was delighted to leave a mark on her debut at the Kenya Open.

“It felt really good to play both singles and doubles finals. It was so nice and a good experience to play Angella Okutoyi and her sister Roselida Asumwa in doubles finals and Okutoyi in singles finals. Playing Angie is so amazing. I actually look up to her and current men’s world number one Carlos Alcaraz,” observed Mao, who now heads to ITF World Tennis Tours Juniors for Grade 4 which will run from August 14-18 and August 21-25, respectively.

Kael said he was happy to have experienced a week of unbelievable tennis, especially in the final.

“I stuck to my game plan and played solid tennis and took all the chances and came through. It feels very good to win the Kenya Open on my first attempt and in front of my family and the home crowd. It’s the first big tournament I have won in Kenya,” he said.

After the Kenya Open, Kael heads back to Denison University in Ohio, US at the end of August.

“I’m going to play college tennis. I still have three more years to see where tennis takes me,” says Kael, who is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Economics.