Kenyan Angela Okutoyi enters third round in Australian Open

By NATION AFRICA

Kenya’s Angela Okutoyi Tuesday marked another milestone after advancing to the third round of the Australian Open Junior Championships at Melbourne Park.

She saw off home player Zara Larke 7-6(7),5-7, 6-1 in the second round of the competition.

Okutoyi defeated Italian Federica Urgesi 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3 on Sunday in the first round to become the first girl from Kenya to win a Grand Slam juniors match.

Alongside Iranian Meshkatolzahra Safi, she has been congratulated by tennis legend Billie Jean King.

“History was made at the Australian Open. Cheers to Meshkatolzahra Safi from Iran and Angela Okutoyi from Kenya on both becoming the first girls from their respective countries to win a Grand Slam juniors match!

Love watching our sport grow across the globe,” tweeted the American, who won 39 Grand Slam titles.

It is also the first time in 16 years a Kenyan is featuring at the Australian Open Juniors.

Christian Vitulli competed at the 2006 Australian Open Juniors when he lost in the first round of the main draw against New Zealand’s Austen Childs.

Okutoyi is the second Kenyan girl to play a Junior Grand Slam after Susan Wakhungu who featured at Wimbledon in 1978.

More updates to follow…