Okutoyi stuns eight-seed Stamitova in ITF W15 Monastir
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:
- Right-hander Okutoyi, who was given a wild card into the main draw, has a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) career-high ranking of 1122 (February 6, 2023).
- She came from one game down in both sets to see off left-hander Stamitova 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 32 minutes on the hard courts of Magic Hotel Skanes Family Club in Monastir.
Wimbledon junior doubles champion Angella Okutoyi is through to the round of 16 in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women's World Tennis Tour W15 Monastir after stunning eighth-seed Julia Stamitova from Bulgaria in straight sets in Tunisia on Tuesday.
Right-hander Okutoyi, who was given a wild card into the main draw, has a Women's Tennis Association (WTA) career-high ranking of 1122 (February 6, 2023).
She came from one game down in both sets to see off left-hander Stamitova 6-2, 6-1 in one hour and 32 minutes on the hard courts of Magic Hotel Skanes Family Club in Monastir.
Stamitova,30, is ranked 793 in WTA singles rankings (July 3, 2023).
It was a bright start for teenager Okutoyi who had suffered first round exits in the first two W15 Monastir tournaments held on July 25-31 and August 1-7 last year at the hands of Frenchwoman Marie Villet and Indian Shrivalli Bhamidipaty respectively.
Okutoyi then reached the second round of the third W15 Monastir tournament by beating India's Vineetha Mummadi held on August 8-14.
Before leaving Nairobi last week, Okutoyi said she was now looking for good results in Monastir.
“I feel ready for W15 Monastir. I’m definitely mentally ready and ready to fight to get a win at Monastir. It feels good to travel back to Monastir. It is an easier place to travel to because it’s in Africa. They host the W15 tournament like every week, so it is good for us Africans," she said.
She disclosed that her mission in Monastir was to collect as many points as possible. "I want this time round to come back with a trophy. That’s my goal,” the Auburn University student told Nation Sport on Monday last week.
Her win over Stamitova puts her one foot forward in the tournament which has a total prize money of USD 15,000.
The 2018 Kenya Open and 2022 Rwanda Open champion could not defend her Wimbledon title this year because she graduated to seniors after US Open Juniors in September last year.
Okutoyi was part of Team Kenya alongside twin sister Roselida Asumwa, Alicia Owegi, Cynthia Wanjala, Melissa Mwakha and Stacy Yego which bagged the bronze medal at the Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Africa Group III held at the Nairobi Club last month.
