Day in the Life: Angella Okutoyi
Day in the Life Angella Okutoyi is the latest episode in the ITF-produced YouTube series which goes behind-the-scenes with tennis players around the world.
Angella has a remarkable backstory. She was orphaned when her mother tragically passed away giving birth to her and her twin sister, Roselida Asumwa.
She spent a brief period in an orphanage before living with her grandmother, Mary, and finding tennis on the grounds of the Loreto Convent School where her grandmother worked.
Through amazing fortitude and the support from those around her – first coach Joe Karanja, Tennis Kenya, the ITF and many others – Angella has risen from a difficult start in life to become the person she is today.
Who can forget the scenes at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when Angella returned from the 2022 Australian Open after becoming the first Kenyan girl to win a Junior Grand Slam match?
She proceeded to win the 2022 Wimbledon doubles title while travelling as part of the Grand Slam Player Development Programme/ITF Touring Team and has since claimed professional titles.
Earlier this year, she topped the podium at the African Games – a victory which propelled her to the brink of the Olympic Tennis Event at Paris 2024 – while she is also now attending Auburn University in the United States.
Angella’s tale is an inspiring one and the ITF travelled to Nairobi to catch up with Angella and spend time with her as she represented her nation in Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge.
This Day in the Life episode follows previous Day in the Life episodes with Joel Schwaerzler and Renata Jamrichova, who at the time of filming were the world’s top-ranked juniors. All episodes, including those with Alexandra Eala and Cooper Williams, are available to watch via the ITF YouTube channel.