Kenyan player Angella Okutoyi delivered a sensational performance to sweep aside Italy’s Martina Colmegna and claim the 2026 International Tennis Federation (ITF) W35 Nairobi Championship.
In a thrilling final staged at the Parklands Sports Club in Nairobi on Sunday, January 4, Okutoyi secured victory in a gripping encounter that lasted two hours and 33 minutes, winning by two sets to one.
Despite being ranked over 100 places below her opponent (561 to Colmegna’s 451) in the current WTA rankings, Okutoyi started strongly, comfortably taking the opening set 6–3 after racing to a 3–0 lead with confident service games.
However, the 29-year-old Colmegna dominated the second set, forcing a decider by taking it 6–3.
In the third set, the African Games champion rediscovered her rhythm.
Despite an early exchange of breaks that levelled the score, Okutoyi surged ahead to clinch the set 6–3, capturing the title after losing in the 2025 final to Chinese Taipei’s Joanna Garland.
Speaking after her triumph, Okutoyi, who turns 22 later this month, said she was highly motivated to win the championship, having been disappointed by previous final losses in W35 events.
She also dedicated the victory to her late aunt, Cynthia, who passed away in December last year.
“This match was one of my goals. I wanted to win this match so badly because I have been losing in finals, especially in the 25k tournaments, so I just told myself I was going to play my best. I was also playing for my Aunt Cynthia,” she said.
Okutoyi hopes to maintain this form and replicate the achievement next week in the second leg of the ITF W35 Nairobi event.
“I want to win both legs, and I hope next week will be just like this week. Yes, I’m hoping to do it,” she added.
The Auburn University student has enjoyed an impressive run since the tournament began, opening with a dominant 6–4, 6–3 win over Hungary’s Luca Udvardy.
She then overcame Serbia’s Dusica Popovski 6–4, 6–1 in the second round, before advancing further when another Serbian, Natalija Senic, retired after the first set.
In the semi-finals, she faced a stern test against Polish international Zuzanna Pawlikowska, prevailing 2–6, 6–0, 7–5 on Saturday, January 3, at Parklands Sports Club.
Okutoyi completes memorable weekend with doubles title
Meanwhile, the doubles final, suspended on Saturday, featured Okutoyi and Pawlikowska against France’s Alyssa Reguer and China’s Yufei Ren.
The match was played later that day at the same venue.
Okutoyi and Pawlikowska enjoyed a straightforward run, triumphing in straight sets 6–2, 7–5 to cap off an outstanding weekend.
Okutoyi earned $4,860 (approximately KED626,470) in prize money along with 35 ranking points.
She is currently the top-ranked player in Kenya and sits at 561st place in the WTA rankings and 865th in the ITF singles rankings.
