Kenya: How Kenyan Hit Song Inspired Wimbledon Champ Okutoyi to Victory At Billie Jean King Cup

Nairobi — Wimbledon Open doubles junior champion Angella Okutoyi says the Kenyan hit song "Angela" by Boutross and Juiceman gave her extra motivation to win her singles match 7-5, 6-3 against Morocco's Malak El Allami during their Billie Jean King Cup match at Nairobi Club on Monday afternoon.

Okutoyi had just wrapped up a tight contest in the first set when the hit song started blasting through the speakers, prompting the crowd, which included Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba, to sing along as they cheered her on.

The joyous cries of 'Angie! Angie! Angie!' from the crowd, Okutoyi says, were the exact push she needed to surge on.

"I really liked that moment because I had selected that particular song to be played during the match... so, it felt nice for me. I didn't expect the crowd was going to sing along but when they did, it felt so good and nice," Okutoyi said.

The teenager was joined by her grandmother, Mary Omukuya Ndong'a, courtside and she admitted it felt great to see her pillar of support with her at that moment.

"That was really great...she came to congratulate me. Seeing her in the crowd was really nice. I gave it my all because of her and I am happy that she was watching me do my best and cheering the team on," Okutoyi said.

It was double delight for Kenya as Okutoyi, alongside Cynthia Cheruto, beat Morocco's Aya El Aouni and Yasmine Kabbaj 6-4, 7-5 in an epic doubles clash in the afternoon.

With day one done and dusted, Team Kenya are looking forward to another fruitful harvest as they face Botswana on Day Two.

Okutoyi admitted she was feeling jittery pre-match but that the rapturous crowd gave her the mental strength to cope with the top seed Moroccans.

"It feels great to win today because I remember before the tournament we had identified Morocco as one of the teams to beat. The positive vibe from the crowd and my teammates on the sideline was a huge motivation for me to upstage her," she said.

The one-week tournament continues Tuesday with more matches on the menu.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.