NAIROBI — Tennis superstar Angella Okutoyi says she is happy to bear the pressure of captaining Team Kenya at next week’s Billie Jean King Cup in Namibia.
The youngster says the pressure is a privilege for her as it is what comes with doing what she loves.
“Of course, there is pressure but it is a good kind of pressure because all of us are doing what we love the most…it is not like the pressure of looking for money and not knowing where to find it. Like Billie Jean said, pressure is a privilege,” the African Games champion said.
Okutoyi will be among seven players who will be hoping to spur Kenya to promotion to the Group II of the prestigious tournament, having agonisingly failed to do so last year.
Others include Cynthia Cheruto, Alicia Owegi, Stacey Yego, Melissa Mwakha as well as youngsters Seline Ahoya and Nancy Kawira – who are currently at the African School Games in Algiers.
As the most experienced and accomplished of the pile, Okutoyi admits all eyes will be on her, including from teammates.
It is a leadership burden she admits she is ready for.
“Everyone is looking up to me…even my teammates. For sure when I am on that court, they are relying on me so I have to do it for them. Me being the captain, I have to show them and lead them. Even though I have the pressure, it is a good one and I can overcome that,” she said.
The youngster is fresh from winning silver at the World University Games in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, where she teamed up with Kael Shah to make the finals of the mixed doubles.
The pair lost 2-0 (6-3 6-3) to Japan’s Japan’s Natsuki Yashimoto and Jay Dylan Friend.
The loss notwithstanding, Okutoyi says it was an experience worth savouring.
“I feel like it was a big thing for me and my doubles partner. I have never played in the mixed doubles at an international tournament and to get silver was a great thing for us…us being alone too, we were trying everyday to stay positive and be there for each other,” she said.
Okutoyi further praised the Denison University student for his tenacity, experience and teamwork skills.
“He is a very joyful player who likes to make jokes. I really felt free when I was playing and that really helped us from the first match through to the finals. In the doubles, you are only as good as your partner and we really tried to be there for one another. We are both strong at the back and at the net and that really helped us,” she said.
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The 2022 Wimbledon Open junior doubles champion is keeping her fingers crossed that all these competitions will enhance her ranking and enable her compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
“These tournaments I have been playing have been impacting me…not just ranking-wise but also tennis-wise. I am improving a lot by travelling different countries and playing against different opponents. Other than that, I am trying to collect as many points as I can and get the right rankings and avoid so much pressure that at the last minute I would have to achieve a certain ranking with a limited time,” Okutoyi said.
In Windhoek, Kenya will be up against elite competition including Algeria, Botswana, Burundi, Ghana, Madagascar, Morocco, Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe as well as the hosts.
The tournament runs from August 4-9.
