Angela Okutoyi, Kenya’s rising tennis star, has secured her spot in the women’s singles final at the African Games in Accra, Ghana, after a marathon match against Egypt’s Mayer Sherif.
The junior Wimbledon doubles champion overcame a challenging start to triumph in a three-set thriller, 5-7, 7-5, 7-6, at the Borteyman Sports Complex.
Ranked fourth with 532 points in the latest WTA singles ranking, Okutoyi showed resilience by recovering from an initial setback to win the subsequent sets against the world’s number 70 player. Her victory sets up a final showdown with another Egyptian contender, Lamis Elhussein Abdelaziz.
Okutoyi’s journey to the final was marked by impressive comebacks, particularly in the second set where she rallied from a 2-5 deficit to win 7-5. The third set saw a similar pattern, with Okutoyi falling behind early but managing to force a tiebreaker, which she won convincingly.
The Auburn University athlete’s path to the final included victories over competitors from Zambia, Egypt, and Morocco, leading to the semifinal clash with Sherif. Okutoyi and Sherif, both receiving byes in the first round, faced off for the first time in their careers.
Elhussein earned her spot in the final by defeating Sandra Samir in straight sets, 6-3, 7-5. Okutoyi is also set to compete in the doubles semifinals, partnering with Cynthia Cheruto against the Egyptian duo of Sherif and Elhussein.
