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Okutoyi makes history to be ranked among the top 1,000 in the world by g****l tennis body

Wednesday, August 16th, 2023 06:40 | By
Angela Okutoyi reacts after winning a local tennis tournament in June. PHOTO/Philip Kamakya
Angela Okutoyi reacts after winning a local tennis tournament in June. PHOTO/Philip Kamakya

Kenya’s tennis sensation Angella Okutoyi has made her remarkable entry to the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) singles rankings top 1000 for the first time following the first professional title she won in Tunisia on July 31.

According to the latest rankings, Okutoyi has massively improved her world hierarchy from the latest rankings released by the World Tennis Tour (WTA).

Initially, Okutoyi had been ranked 930 in the past week but has since jumped to 928 with her highest position before being 1122.

This is the highest ranking that Okutoyi has ever registered in her promising career with her huge leap being credited to her recent good performances.

The recent unfolding comes days after the US-based sensation retained her Kenya Open title on the Nairobi clay courts over the weekend.

Okutoyi who returned to Auburn University on Monday for her second semester had prior to that defeated Tanzanian third seed Shana Mao 6-1, 6-1 in the singles final to retain the title she won back in 2018.

In the latest rankings, Liudmila Samsonova moved up six places in the latest WTA rankings released on Monday after her run to the final of the Montreal Open.

Russian Samsonova, 24, lost in straight sets to Jessica Pegula in Canada on Sunday, but returns to a career-best 12th ranking which she also achieved last February.

American Pegula Jessica, 29, remains third behind Poland’s Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus with Elena Rybakina from Kazakhstan closing the top five rankings.

Okutoyi star has been shining since she became the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title at the girls’ juniors Wimbledon event partnering Rose Marie Nijkamp.

At the 2022 Australian Open, Okutoyi became the first representative of Kenya to win a girls’ junior singles Grand Slam match.
On the ITF Circuit, she has won one singles and two doubles titles. Playing for Kenya Billie Jean King Cup team and has a win/loss record of 11–5.

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