African Games singles champion Angella Okutoyi and her partner Kael Shah got off to a winning start in the mixed doubles category at the FISU Summer World University Games in Germany, securing a commanding straight-sets victory in the round of 32.
The Kenyan duo defeated Kazakhstan’s Yekaterina Dmitrichenko and Iliyas Maratuly 7-5, 6-2 on Sunday in Rhine-Ruhr, showcasing impressive coordination and court awareness.
Okutoyi, currently a student at Auburn University, teamed up with Shah — a Denison University student who had earlier exited the men’s singles competition — to dominate key moments of the match.
They outperformed their opponents in second-serve points (25 to 18) and return points (29 to 18), proving their ability to thrive under pressure and counter their opponents’ service games effectively.
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Their victory propels them into the round of 16, where they will face the winners of the clash between France’s Alice Robbe and William Jucha and Thailand’s Lidia Podgorichani and Yuttana Charoenphon.
Okutoyi, currently ranked 626 in the WTA singles rankings, remains a standout in Kenya’s tennis contingent at the Games.
The World University Games bring together over 9,000 student-athletes from more than 100 countries, competing across 17 sports — including athletics, badminton, taekwondo, and tennis, which are the disciplines Kenya is contesting.
