For the first time in its history, Kenya will host an ITF W35 women’s tournament, a milestone that signals both progress and possibility for the country’s growing tennis ambitions.
From December 29 to January 10, Parklands Sports Club will welcome international players chasing ranking points, momentum and opportunity, with Nairobi briefly becoming a focal point on the global women’s tennis calendar.
Parklands is stepping into new territory. The club has previously staged ITF W15 and W25 events, but the jump to W35 demanded higher standards. Facilities were upgraded, courts refined and operations aligned with ITF requirements, allowing Kenya to host a tournament of greater stature for the first time.
The significance of the event has not been lost on the federation.
“We know that the event will be going on during the holiday season,” said Tennis Kenya president Dr James Kenani, “but we urge Kenyans to come and show support for the girls. We’re also glad that this MOU between us and Parklands Sports Club will allow Kenyans to come here and play, and for supporters to come and watch.”
Besides the boost in rankings, the ITF W-35 will be featuring a $30,000 prize money pool (up from $25k in prior years) that will offer players valuable world ranking points to help them climb the WTA ladder. This tournament is an entry-level professional event, hosting singles and doubles, and is a crucial stepping stone for up-and-coming players.
At the centre of the occasion are sisters Angela Okutoyi and Roselida Asumwa, two of Kenya’s brightest tennis prospects, both competing at NCAA Division I, the highest level of college sport in the United States.
Angela, a senior at Auburn University, arrives in Nairobi with unfinished business and a clear objective. Having narrowly missed out on qualification for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, she is now focused on climbing the rankings rather than relying on continental qualification routes.
“I narrowly missed out on Paris,” Angela said. “Now I’m hoping to qualify with my ranking and not through the Africa Games. I still want to win the Africa Games, but the goal is to qualify automatically.”
Her younger sister Roselida, a junior at Bethune-Cookman University who is redshirting, meaning she is training with the team while preserving a year of NCAA eligibility, is still building her professional footing but carries the same competitive edge.
Asked what would happen if the two sisters were to meet in the final, Roselida laughed off the possibility with the ease of someone who knows family comes first.
“Hahaha, I haven’t even thought of that yet,” she said. “I’m sure it would be awkward for maybe one minute, and then it would be all love. We generally support one another.”
The idea of two Kenyan sisters facing off on home soil in a W35 final feels symbolic of how far the sport has come, and how much further it could go.
Beyond the Okutoyi story, the tournament represents opportunity for Kenyan tennis as a whole. Hosting a W35 gives local players a rare chance to compete against higher-ranked international opposition without leaving the country, while fans are offered a front-row seat to elite women’s tennis.
It also reinforces a broader vision. One where improved facilities, strategic partnerships, and consistent hosting of international events can gradually close the gap between Kenyan players and the global elite.
As the holiday season approaches, Parklands Sports Club will not just be a venue. It will be a proving ground for ambition, belief and Olympic dreams.
And for Angela and Roselida Okutoyi, it may also be the stage where family, competition and national pride intersect in the most compelling way possible.
