Fresh from winning the ITF Under-18 tournament in Sousse, Tunisia over the weekend, Kenya's top-ranked junior Angela Okutoyi has set her sights on winning the women's Future tennis tourney in Monastir.
The event, which will have three legs, starts Tuesday and Okutoyi is quietly confident she can win one of them.
“I'm in good form and I guess this will be a good challenge as I meet some of the world's best players. I'm hoping I can replicate the form that saw me win in Sousse,” she said.
Okutoyi, the youngest Kenya Open winner, stunned Moroccan top seed Aya El Aouni 6-3, 6-3 to win the ITF under 18 final.
“I have been in Tunisia for a fortnight and acclimatising took a while in the first week, where I lost in the second round. Everything came together in the second week and I improved. I am delighted to have won," she added.
The diminutive player expects competition from the North Africa countries.
“The players from Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria are familiar with the weather and the course here and I expect them to offer strong opposition. However, I am relishing the challenge and I will be ready for them,” she noted.
Okutoyi is using the tournament to improve her ranking as she seeks to play in the Junior Grand Slam tournaments next year in either the French Open or Wimbledon.
“ That's my next target and I am working hard to realise my dream. With a couple of wins in a few more tournaments, my dream can come to pass,” noted Okutoyi.
In the team competition, Team Kenya found the going tough in Sousse with Okutoyi, Rosehilda Asumwa, and Alicia Owegi finishing fourth. The Boys team of Derrick Ominde and Kael Shah finished fifth.
