Okutoyi: I'd love to meet President Uhuru Kenyatta
Angela Okutoyi (centre) poses for a photo with members of Dealympics team from left Lucas Wandia, Elikana Kiprop, Simon Kibai and Ian Kahinga during a luncheon in honour of Deaflympics team at Trademark Hotel on July 12, 2022.
What you need to know:
- Okutoyi got more recognition in Nairobi on Tuesday when she met the Deaflympics team and was invited on stage to talk to the gathering.
- She said she was happy to come back home with the Wimbledon title.
- “One philosophy I put in mind is that a negative mind will not give you a positive result,” she advised.
Angella Okutoyi has revealed what she would wish to tell President Uhuru Kenyatta if she ever gets to meet him.
Okutoyi was over the moon on July 9 when State House released a statement from President Kenyatta congratulating her for being the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam – a feat she achieved in the Juniors doubles at Wimbledon partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp.
President Kenyatta hailed Okutoyi's historic victory as “a momentous achievement that has not only lifted Kenya's profile in world tennis, but that will also inspire a generation of young players to excel in the sport."
Okutoyi,18, got a warm welcome on Monday night at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport where Sports Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed was at hand to receive her.
The Kenya Open 2018 champion told Nation Sport that it felt really nice to be congratulated.
“I now feel more recognized. Being congratulated by someone as important as him is a privilege to me and I’m happy. I mean a lot. I’d like to meet the President one day. My wish is that he should support tennis in general and to help tennis in Kenya to grow.
I want to see many Kenyans on the top, not just me. That’s why I want him to help tennis in Kenya in general – funding and all the support we need,” she said.
Okutoyi noted that she was now trying to switch her mentality after lifting the Wimbledon title because “this one was one of many to come”.
During Wimbledon, the 2018 Kenya Open champion got to meet star players including decorated tennis king Novak Djokovic from Serbia – the newly-crowned Wimbledon champion – and women’s world number one Iga Swiatek from Poland.
“It felt nice to take a photo with Djokovic, one of the best tennis players in the world. It was really motivating,” said Okutoyi, who got a good luck message from Swiatek before starting her doubles campaign after exiting singles.
Celebrations are set to continue as Tennis Kenya vice president Francis Mutuku also disclosed that they plan to organize another big celebration for Okutoyi as was the case on February 1 when she became the first Kenyan girl to record a Junior Grand Slam match-win at the Australian Open juniors after reaching the third round.
Upon her return, Okutoyi got a heroic reception at the JKIA and thereafter ferried to Nairobi Club in a Land-rover Discovery 4 led by motorcycles for the Tennis Kenya 100 years celebrations. Pupils from Mbagathi Primary School welcomed Okutoyi and her family with songs.
Tennis Kenya president James Kenani noted that a lot will be expected of Okutoyi going forward.
Since that time, Okutoyi has competed at J1 Casablanca in Morocco, JB2 Sousse in Tunisia where she lost her African Under-18 title at semi-final stage, J1 Santa Croce Sull’Arno and JA Milan in Italy, Roland Garros junior championships in France and J1 Nottingham in Great Britain where she played on the grass competitively for the first time ever.
Okutoyi was down with a stomach ache ahead of Wimbledon, but recovered just in time.
However, she was let down by many unforced errors including seven double faults against two for Canadian Mia Kupres as she lost in the first round 6-3, 6-2.
Okutoyi got more recognition in Nairobi on Tuesday when she met the Deaflympics team and was invited on stage to talk to the gathering.
She said she was happy to come back home with the Wimbledon title.
“One philosophy I put in mind is that a negative mind will not give you a positive result,” she advised.
