NAIROBI, Kenya, August 9, 2025 – Team Kenya were all smiles on Saturday evening despite agonisingly missing out on qualification to Group II of the Billie Jean King Cup in Windhoek, Namibia.
African Games champion Angella Okutoyi and Cynthia Wanjala lost to Malak El Allami and Diae El Jardi in the doubles, to all but put paid to the country’s hopes of scaling the ladder into the next category of the prestigious competition.
The North Africans won 6-3 in the first set before Okutoyi and Wanjala recovered to win 6-4 in the next one.
However, Allami and Jardi won 10-6 to seal an overall 2-1 win for Morocco.
Kenya had began the day on a wrong footing, Melissa Mwakha losing 6-4 6-3 to El Allami in the morning.
However, Okutoyi hauled Kenya back into the tie, dismissing Yasmine Kabbaj 6-2 6-4 in the second singles match of the day to level the overall scores.
This is the second time Kenya have missed out on promotion following last year’s competition when they lost to South Africa on home soil.
The loss notwithstanding, the girls have been one of the most outstanding competitors at the week-long event, displaying tenacity and talent that will take them places in future competitions.
