Tennis: W15 matches suspended due to heavy rains
Kenya’s Angella Okutoyi plays a shot to second seed Caroline Romeo of France during their ITF World W15 semi-finals match at Karen Country Club on November 19, 2022.
What you need to know:
- This tournament is expected to be Okutoyi’s last this year before she heads to the USA in January 2023 to pursue Business Management and Apparel Design as well tennis on a full scholarship at Auburn University.
Wimbledon doubles junior champion Angella Okutoyi's clash with against German Emily Seibold in the W15 Nairobi World Tennis Tour has been moved to Thursday.
This after organisers of the event taking place Karen Country Club clay courts suspended all matches due to heavy downpour.
The two were due to renew their rivalry on Wednesday morning.They met in the final of the first W15 Nairobi tournament last weekend when Seibold chalked up a 6-3, 6-2 win.
“Rains have rendered the courts unplayable, so we wait for tomorrow,” said tournament referee John Rogoi.
The winner between unseeded Okutoyi and top-seed Seibold will square it out with Indian Laalitya Kalluri in the second round.
Kalluri saw off Nigerian Divine Nweke 6-3, 0-6, 7-5 in the first round on Tuesday when Okutoyi played her doubles match.
Okutoyi partnering Indian Smriti Bhasin, defeated Reha Kipsang (Kenya) and Sonia Tuyishime (Rwanda) 6-0, 6-0 to enter doubles quarter-finals.
Other players who qualified for the round of 16 in singles on Tuesday are Akua Hansen (Germany), fifth-seed Alexandra Iordache (Romania), Bhasin (India), eighth-seeded Sevil Yuldasheva (Uzbekistan), Alissia Gleixner (Germany), third-seed Emma Tothova (Slovakia) and Linda Salvi (Italy).
Eight first round matches are still lined up in the singles category, including Kenyans Claire Muthoni and Okutoyi’s twin sister Roselida Asumwa facing Sravya Chilakalapudi (India) and Celine Simunyu (Ireland) respectively.
This tournament is expected to be Okutoyi’s last this year before she heads to the USA in January 2023 to pursue Business Management and Apparel Design as well tennis on a full scholarship at Auburn University.
