Okutoyi makes winning start in second W15 tourney
Kenya's Angella Okutoyi plays a backhand shot to Nigeria's Adesuwa Osabuohien during the Billie Jean King Cup Africa Group III at the Nairobi Club on June 16, 2023.
What you need to know:
- On July 13, Okutoyi, 19, led Mincheva,16, 4-0 in the second set after clinching the first set 6-1. However, she was unable to finish off the second set as Mincheva won 6-4.
- The 2018 Kenya Open winner could not stop Mincheva from winning the third set 6-3 after the Russian pulled away at 3-3. Okutoyi is not competing in doubles in the second W15 event.
Kenyan Angella Okutoyi Tuesday earned sweet revenge against junior Vlada Mincheva after coming from a set down to defeat the Russian 1-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a tightly-contested first round match in the second International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women's World Tennis Tour W15 in Monastir, Tunisia.
The 2022 Wimbledon Junior Doubles champion Okutoyi had suffered 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 loss at the hands of Mincheva in the second round in the first W15 event last week.
She started their second ever meeting on a wrong-footing, but recovered to win the match in two hours and 39 minutes.
“Today, I feel I managed the match pretty well to grab my opportunities, especially in the second and third set. I lost the first set, yes, but never lost my belief and hope. I knew I had to fight and that’s what I did, so I believe I learned from last week’s loss. It has helped me with today's match,” Okutoyi told Nation Sport.
Okutoyi, who won W15 doubles with France's Beverley Nyangom last week, will meet Italian Virginia Ferrara in the second round on Wednesday.
Ferrara saw off Romanian seventh-seeded Alexandra Iordache 6-1, 6-2 in one hour and 35 minutes to set the date against Okutoyi. Okutoyi has a career-high WTA Singles Ranking of 1,122 (February 6, 2023).
Ferrara occupies position 891 in the latest WTA Singles Ranking released on July 17, 2023. Mincheva, who reached the semi-final in the first W15 Monastir tournament, is ranked 772 in the latest ITF Singles Ranking (July 17, 2023).
On July 13, Okutoyi, 19, led Mincheva,16, 4-0 in the second set after clinching the first set 6-1. However, she was unable to finish off the second set as Mincheva won 6-4.
The 2018 Kenya Open winner could not stop Mincheva from winning the third set 6-3 after the Russian pulled away at 3-3. Okutoyi is not competing in doubles in the second W15 event.
