Kenyan tennis phenomenon, Angella Okutoyi, ventured into new territory last week at the semi-finals of the African Games tennis competition held in Accra. Opposing her on the court was Mayar Sherif of Egypt, a top-tier player ranked 70th in the world. The contest was of extraordinary significance, as it held the potential of securing an Olympic place for the winner. After a grueling four-hour match, 20-year-old Okutoyi astonishingly came out victorious (5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5)), later securing a gold medal as she departed from Ghana.
Making history isn’t novel to Okutoyi’s short career. In 2022, she earned the distinction of being the pioneering Kenyan to clinch a victory at a junior Grand Slam tournament – the Australian Open. Her winning spree continued at Wimbledon 2022 with her achieving the girls’ doubles title with the assistance of Dutch player, Rose Marie Nijkamp. The aspirations Okutoyi harbours for her professional career ignite a profound question in the realm of elite tennis: Can tennis carve an avenue for black African tennis players to ascend to the zenith?
Africa has historically been overlooked by the global span of tennis, in terms of both national representation in tours and participation at the beginner level. The exceptions have been from South Africa and Ons Jabeur of Tunisia, a significant trailblazer who reached the number 2 rank and carved her path to three Grand Slam finals. Sherif, her Egyptian counterpart, rose to a remarkable career high, ranking 31st last year.
Historically, in sub-Saharan Africa, a small number of players or events have penetrated the upper echelons of the sport. Nonetheless, the past year has seen strides in several countries to uplift players. For the first time, in 2022, Bujumbura in Burundi became the venue of a women’s professional tournament, back-to-back ITF World Tennis Tour competitions, where local favourite Sada Nahimana reached the finals as the top seed. This tournament is scheduled for a comeback next month.
Furthermore, in December, Nairobi hosted two tournaments for the first time. Okutoyi claimed her debut ITF title in one of these. Importantly, just recently, Rwanda graced its stature by hosting two ATP Challenger events for the first time.
Théoneste Karenzi, the head of the Rwanda Tennis Federation, aims to make professional tennis more accessible to prospective players both in Rwanda and neighbouring countries. Joint discussions have been held with other East African nations, with the proposition of establishing a regional circuit for easier and cost-effective participation. The objective is to make it feasible for players to tour the region.
Africa has seen many players rise to prominence in junior tennis in recent years, but transitioning to the professional circuit is a greater challenge. This challenge is outlined by Wanjiru Mbugua, General Secretary of Tennis Kenya and Vice-President of the Confederation of African Tennis, who indicates that while junior tournaments can be organised extensively as there’s no prize money involved, professional events require significant funding leading to their scarcity. Players looking to earn points are compelled to travel out of their own country.
Professional events do take place in North African nations like Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, but accessing these locales is in itself tough. Mbugua states that being on the other side of Africa, players often have to travel via Europe, Dubai or Qatar to get these places, making it just as heavy an ordeal as travelling to Europe.
Visa procurement poses another significant barrier to success for African players, as Karenzi points out. With the limited sponsorship they receive from private sector, young players often struggle with the funding required for global travel and complex visa provisions in certain European and American countries.
Despite the fact that the ITF World Tennis Tour often sees limited spectators, the recently held tournaments in Africa enjoyed decent local viewership. The closure of the Rwanda Challenger Tournament was marked by a visit from Rwandan President Paul Kagame, a tennis enthusiast himself, which only enhanced the spotlight on the event.
Yannick Noah, a previous French Open champion, was invited to be an ambassador at the tournament. Discovered in Cameroon by Arthur Ashe in 1971, Noah relocated to France and is famously remembered as the most recent French individual to win at Roland Garros, a victory he accomplished in 1983. His involvement serves as a beacon of motivation for future tennis stars and illustrates the attainable success in the sport.
Karenzi recollects Noah’s interactions with upcoming players during clinics, where he narrated his journey, stressing the attainability of such success. His one-on-one interactions with the players were highly beneficial. In a dialogue with Regis Isheja in Rwanda, Noah equated an African tennis player’s journey to success with running a marathon, albeit a longer one compared to their European or American counterparts.
The marathon to ranking supremacy may appear even longer for highly talented players striving to reach the top. Like Okutoyi, who elected to join Auburn University offering a full scholarship to compete in the NCAA following her junior success instead of heading directly to the professional tour.
A few prominent African players have been fortunate to receive assistance. Nahimana and Eliakim Coulibaly, both who achieved noteworthy rankings last year, were invited to attend the Mouratoglou Academy in France for training.
Although Okutoyi lacked immediate professional career funding from Tennis Kenya after her junior career, the college system offered an invaluable foundation from a coaching perspective and possibly a solid base for her when she completes university and becomes a professional.
Mbugua concedes that the cost of supporting her to shift to professional ranks was astronomically high, roughly $200,000 annually, a sum that seemed untenable. That amount would cover travel and lodgings but wouldn’t account for additional necessities like securing a coach, finding a sparring partner or hiring physiotherapists for adequate care. The costs for a fully functional team were staggering.
However, her victory in the African Games has been a true game-changer. In order to secure her spot in the Olympics that she earned, there’s a requirement for Okutoyi to have her ranking within the top 400 by June 10th, the deadline set by the Olympic committee.
Amidst balancing college tournaments, employment, and numerous monetary issues that arise in regularly participating in the tour, Okutoyi and her team, along with Tennis Kenya, are left with the task of paving the best possible path for her to make it to Paris. Mbugua comically shares that he found himself losing sleep as he entertained the thought: “We have managed a victory, but now we have to accomplish what seems improbable.” – Guardian