Okutoyi Dominates Doubles and Books Spot in Singles Final at Nairobi Tournament
Angella Okutoyi won singles and doubles at ITF W35 Nairobi She beat Martina Colmegna in a tough three-set singles final
Kenyan tennis star Angella Okutoyi enjoyed a memorable week in Nairobi after lifting the doubles title and winning the singles crown at the ITF W35 tournament held in early January 2026. The 21-year-old delivered an impressive performance on home clay at Parklands Sports Club, delighting fans who turned up in large numbers.
Her strong run marked one of her best showings at a W35 event, finally breaking a streak of near-misses at this level.
Okutoyi teamed up with Demi Tran to clinch the doubles trophy after a hard contest against Alyssa Reguer of France and Yufei Ren of China. The match ended 6-2, 5-7, 10-4 in the super tiebreak.
Despite dropping the second set, the pair stayed calm and finished strong. It was Okutoyi’s second doubles title in a row, underlining her consistency in the format.
Earlier, Okutoyi had battled through a demanding singles semifinal against Egypt’s Sandra Samir, winning 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 in a match that stretched close to three hours.
The victory set up a final clash with Italy’s Martina Colmegna, a familiar opponent she had faced the previous week.
In Sunday’s final, Okutoyi held her nerve to beat Colmegna 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in a match lasting over two hours. Overcome with emotion, she broke down in tears after the win, dedicating the title to her late aunt, who passed away in late 2025.
The win was especially meaningful as it came after finishing runner-up in the same tournament in 2025.
Following her success, President William Ruto congratulated Okutoyi on X, praising her for flying the Kenyan flag high. Sports CS Salim Mvurya also lauded her resilience and discipline.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya joined in the celebrations, describing her as an inspiration to young athletes. Soon after, she was awarded an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship worth about Sh1 million, aimed at supporting her journey to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
Okutoyi’s journey has inspired many. She was raised by her grandmother alongside her sister after losing her mother at birth. Tennis became her escape and purpose.
She made history in 2022 as the first Kenyan to win a junior Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon. She has also won African Games gold in singles and holds Kenya’s highest-ever WTA rankings.
The Nairobi wins earned her valuable WTA points, prize money estimated at around $30,000, and renewed confidence. Her current singles ranking sits around 561, with a career high of 491, while her doubles ranking is significantly higher.
With the home crowd firmly behind her, Okutoyi now looks ahead to the next leg of the Nairobi tennis series, hoping to build momentum and attract more support for her international campaigns.
