Kenya Open champion Angela Okutoyi and Albert Njogu will represent the country at the Africa Junior Under-18 Championship in Marakesh, Morocco next month.
Okutoyi was in dominant form last season, winning the ITF/CAT Africa Junior Championships which took place in Algiers in August.
Okutoyi, who got into the tournament seeded top, beat fifth seed and home favourite, Algerian Bouchra Mebarki 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 to clinch the title. Okutoyi added the ITF U-18 tournament in Burundi in June, which saw her join the ITF World Tour team that enabled her tour France, Germany, Belgium and Czech Republic for five weeks between July and August.
She also had a stint in Florida at the prestigious Nick Bollettieri Academy and played at the Orange Bowl tennis tournament. Okutoyi said she wants to add the Africa U-18 crown to the title she won last year.
“It will be a competitive tournament and I believe I will be in good form. I want go all the way and win it,” she added.
Okutoyi played down last week’s defeat in the ITF World Tour leg, where she lost to Salma Loudili of Morocco 6-3, 7-5 at Nairobi Club.
“It was a tough match but I learnt my lessons from it and I want to move on to the next event,” added Okutoyi.
Albert Njogu, who lost to Hungary’s Peter Sallay 6-3, 6-4 in the final of the ITF World Tour leg, expressed confidence that his form will improve ahead of the continental tournament.
“My play has improved tremendously and I want to face the best on the continent,” he added.