Okutoyi, Nyangom win W15 Monastir doubles title

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.

Photo credit: Sila Kiplagat | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • It’s her second title in the event after bagging the W15 Nairobi title with her Indian partner Smriti Bhasin in November 2022 at Karen Country Club.

The 2022 Wimbledon Junior Doubles champion Angella Okutoyi is over the moon after winning the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Women’s World Tennis Tour W15 Monastir doubles title in Tunisia Saturday.

She achieved the feat with her partner Beverley Nyangom. Together they stopped Italians Samira De Stefano and Gala Parravicini 6-4,3-6,10-2.

Okutoyi had suffered heartbreak in the second round in the singles category and had not gone past the second round in both doubles and singles in W15 Monastir on four previous attempts since her debut in in December 2021.

Okutoyi and Nyangom saw off the Italians in one hour and 22 minute.

On their way to the final, Okutoyi and Nyangom beat Tunisian wild cards Chahd Berriri and Roua Limem 6-0,6-0 in the round of 16, stunned top seeds Abigail Amos (Great Britain) and Arabella Koller of Austria  6-2,6-1 in quarter-finals. Thereafter they benefited from the retirement of Raquel Gonzalez Vilar (Spain) and Sofia Camila Rojas (USA) in semi-final stage.

Okutoyi and Nyangom led 5-2 in the first set when their opponents retired.

“I feel so happy at last l have a title from Monastir. Today, what worked for us is we stayed composed even when down and we were aggressive at the net,” Okutoyi told Nation Sport.

It’s her second title in the event after bagging the W15 Nairobi title with her Indian partner Smriti Bhasin in November 2022 at Karen Country Club.