Coach Rogoi bullish about Okutoyi's chances at W35 tourney at Parkland Sports

Rogoi says Okutoyi’s consistent match play on the United States collegiate circuit has put her in a strong position ahead of the home event.

“She has been playing regularly for her college side, Auburn, and coupled with her experience, she will be a tough opponent for anyone,” Rogoi said.

The two-week tournament has been split into two legs, with the first running from December 28 to January 3, and the second from January 4 to 11.

Okutoyi enjoyed a strong run at last year’s event, reaching the final of the second tournament before losing to Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland 6–1, 6–4. In the first tournament, she was also eliminated by Garland in the quarter-finals, losing 4–6, 6–2, 6–3.

Rogoi believes those defeats have helped strengthen Okutoyi’s mentality.

“They say in sport you learn more from losses than wins, so her mental fortitude is strong, and I expect her to put in a good performance,” he observed.

Kenya’s top-ranked player arrived in the country last week and has been sharpening her skills at the Nairobi Club in preparation for the tournament, which will feature some of the world’s top-ranked players.

Team Kenya will also be represented by Rosehilda Asumwa, Stacy Yego, Nancy Kawira and Seline Ahoya. However, the quartet will have to navigate the qualifying draw to reach the main round.

Tennis Kenya executive officer Nancy Nduku said preparations for the tournament are in their final stages.

“Preparations are ongoing. By the end of next week, everything will be in place to host the championship, which is a strong indicator that Tennis Kenya can host some of the big tennis events in the world,” Nduku said.

The tournament has rotated venues in recent years, with Karen Country Club hosting the W35 before the Nairobi Club staged the event in 2024.

International players are expected to start arriving from Wednesday.