Kenyan tennis player Angella Okutoyi won the doubles title and reached the singles final at the ITF W35 Nairobi tournament in early January 2026. The 21-year-old showed strong form on home clay at the Parklands Sports Club. She claimed her second straight doubles crown while pushing for a singles victory that would mark her first W35 singles title.
Okutoyi teamed up with Demi Tran for the doubles final. They beat France’s Alyssa Reguer and China’s Yufei Ren 6-2, 5-7, 10-4 in the super tiebreak. It was a tough match after the second set went against them. This win came right after she reached the singles final.
In the semifinals, she outlasted Egypt’s Sandra Samir 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 in a three-hour battle. That set up a rematch against Italy’s Martina Colmegna in the singles final on Sunday. Okutoyi had beaten Colmegna in a previous final the week before, though details vary slightly across reports.
The tournament wrapped up with big success for her. She took the singles title against Colmegna in a hard-fought three-set match, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. It lasted over two hours. She cried after the win, dedicating it to her late aunt, who passed away in late 2025.
This was redemption after finishing runner-up in the same event in 2025. For doubles, some reports mention her partnering with Zuzanna Pawlikowska to beat Reguer and Ren 6-2, 7-5. Either way, she swept both titles, earning praise from across Kenya.
President William Ruto sent congratulations on X. He called it an outstanding performance that flew the Kenyan flag high. Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya hailed her as well. He said she etched her name in history with resilience and excellence.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya also cheered her on. They see her as an inspiration for young athletes. Soon after, Okutoyi received an Olympic Solidarity Scholarship worth a million shillings to help prepare for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
Okutoyi grew up in tough circumstances. She and her sister were raised by their grandmother after their mother died in childbirth. Tennis became her path out. She made history as the first Kenyan to win a junior Grand Slam doubles title at Wimbledon in 2022, partnering with Rose Marie Nijkamp.
She also took gold in singles at the African Games, upsetting top players along the way. Her career includes several ITF titles, mostly in doubles, and she holds the Kenyan record for highest WTA rankings.
Fans in Nairobi packed the courts to watch her. Home support gave her extra energy on clay, her favourite surface. The wins boosted her confidence and brought prize money, around $30,000 for the sweep. She earned 35 WTA points for the singles victory, which helps her climb the rankings. Her current WTA singles ranking sits around 561, with a career high of 491. The doubles ranking is higher, near 250.
Many Kenyans hope this performance draws more attention to tennis. Corporate sponsors could help with travel costs and coaching. Okutoyi needs consistent support to compete on bigger tours and aim for the Olympics. Right now, she plays in the next leg of the Nairobi series. Matches continue, including against tough opponents like Sandra Samir in later rounds.
Her story motivates kids across the country. From orphanage to international courts, she proves hard work pays off. The back-to-back titles on home soil feel special. She said after the win that she wanted to break the jinx of near-misses in W35 events. Now she has. Kenya celebrates another strong week for its top female player. As the year starts, Okutoyi looks forward. More tournaments await.
