Flawless Okutoyi advances to W15 second round
Kenya’s Angella Okutoyi plays a forehand against India's Sharanya Shetty during their W15 World Tennis Tour first round singles match on November 16, 2022 at the Karen Country Club.
What you need to know:
- Third-seed Emma Tothova from Slovakia also taught American qualifier Prisha Vyas some tennis lessons, winning 6-0, 6-1 in just under one hour.
- Nigerian Divine Nweke has also advanced to the next round after bundling out Dominique Ernst from Switzerland 6-3, 6-4.
Wimbledon doubles junior champion Angella Okutoyi stormed into the round of 16 at the W15 World Tennis Tour after outwitting Sharanya Shetty 6-0, 6-0 on the clay courts of Karen Country Club on Wednesday.
The 2018 Kenya Open winner took 46 minutes to dispatch the 20-year-old Indian qualifier. The former Africa Under-18 champion was clinical with her serves, including notching up three aces.
“My match was good for the first match since September. I defeated her by playing me and being just aggressive,” said Okutoyi, whose last outing was the US Open junior championships in September.
Regarding her second round match against eighth-seed Sevil Yuldasheva, Okutoyi said, “It will be like any other match, so I will just be ready.”
Okutoyi will head to Auburn University in the USA in January 2023 to pursue tennis and academics on a full scholarship.
Okutoyi, who is playing at home for the first time in over a year, joins her twin sister Roselida Asumwa in the second round. They are the only Kenyans remaining in the singles' main draw.
Wild card Asumwa punched her ticket on Tuesday after stunning Australian Nessa Pratt 6-4, 6-2.
Okutoyi, whose tennis idol is American great Serena Williams, will take on eighth-seed Sevil Yuldasheva.
Asumwa is drawn against Indian sixth-seed Sharmada Balu in the second round. Balu dismissed Kenyan qualifier Katarina Karanja 6-1, 6-1 in 47 minutes on Wednesday.
Kick-off times for the first matches on Wednesday were delayed for close to five hours to allow the courts to dry after interruption by rains.
The first match of the day pitted Yuldasheva against Tanzanian qualifier Ester Nankulange. Yuldasheva proved too strong for Nankulange, thrashing her 6-0, 6-0 in 38 minutes.
Third-seed Emma Tothova from Slovakia also taught American qualifier Prisha Vyas some tennis lessons, winning 6-0, 6-1 in just under one hour.
Nigerian Divine Nweke has also advanced to the next round after bundling out Dominique Ernst from Switzerland 6-3, 6-4.
