•The country's youngest Kenya Open champion said she is looking forward to 2023 when she will join the university in the USA
•Okutoyi received offers from 30 Universities and toured a good number of them to assess their facilities and progranmes
Image: / FILE
Wimbledon doubles junior champion Angela Okutoyi has withdrawn from the women's futures tournaments in Egypt, Turkey, and South Africa slated for October and November.
The teen sensation, who jetted back into the country on Monday, will take a deserved rest for the final three months of the year after a grueling campaign that saw her play in the four grand slam tournaments among other events.
The country's youngest Kenya Open champion said she is looking forward to 2023 when she will join the university in the USA.
“If all goes well, I should be joining the university in the new year, where I can pursue both my love for the game and academics," added Okutoyi.
Currently ranked 49th in the world in the junior ranking, Okutoyi moves to the senior category next year and she is relishing the challenge of playing her peers.
“I'm now moving to the senior category, where I will compete with experienced players from next year. I am looking forward to it and I feel ready for the competition,” added Okutoyi.
She said playing in the Grand Slams has sharpened her for the next phase of her career.
“Playing in the four grand slam tournaments has been beneficial and it will be of great help when I transition to the senior cadre next year,” she added.
A final decision on which University she will join will be known next week, according to her coach Thuku Rogoi.
Okutoyi has received offers from 30 universities and toured a good number of them to assess their facilities and programs.
"She toured some of the universities in Florida and California and together with her the management team and Tennis Kenya, we will make a decision by next week," he noted.
Okutoyi's golden run began at the Australian Junior Open in January, where she reached the third round, beating Italian qualifier Federica Urgesi 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 in the first round.
She then defeated Zara Larke of Australia 7-6 (7), 7-5, 6-1 in the second round. In the third round, she lost to Serbia's Lola Radivojevic 6-2, 6-3.
At the French Open, Okutoyi beat Belgian Amelie Van Impe 7-6, 6-4 then bowed to top seed Petra Morcinko of Croatia 6-2, 6-4 in the second round.
At the Wimbledon junior doubles, she teamed up with Rose Nijkamp of the Netherlands to beat the Canadian pair of Kayla Cross and Victoria Mambo 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 to win the coveted title.