Kenya's Okutoyi out of ITF tourney

Kenya's Angela Okutoyi on Friday crashed out of the International Tennis Federation Juniors tournament second leg after losing 7-6 (5), 5-7, 6-2 to Iran's Safi Meshkatolzahra in an energy-sapping three-hour-long semi-final tie at the Nairobi Club.

The loss was a bump on the road for the Kenya Open Champion Okutoyi, who won last week's first leg final against Aisha Niyonkuru in straight sets of 6-1, 6-4.

Fifteen-year-old Okutoyi challenged Safi's strong serves and kept up with her throughout the first two sets until she had to surrender in the last set where Safi took the lead with high stabs and powerful backhand shots that threw off Okutoyi, ranked 385 in the world, losing her chance to feature in Saturday's final.

Niyonkuru sealed her place in another final after downing sixteen-year-old Mialy Ranaivo of Madagascar 6-3, 6-4 in the other semi.

Okutoyi did recover in the doubles event teaming up with Niyonkuru to edge Mialy Ranaivo of Madagascar and Meshkatolzahra from Iran 6-4, 6-4 in the semis.

In the boys' category, Italy's Roberto Miceli outclassed fifteen-year-old Alessio Basile of Belgium 6-3, 6-3 at the same venue.

Toky Ranaivo of Madagascar suffered the same fate losing 6-2, 6-2 to South Africa's Devin Badenhorst.

In the boys' doubles, Alessio Basile of Belgium and Roberto Miceli of Italy outclassed South Africa's Devin Badenhorst and Anro Neil 7-6(4), 4-6, 15-13 to proceed to the finals.

Burundi's Niyonkuru and Iran's Safi Meshkatolzahra will battle it out in the finals of the girls singles while South Africa's Devin Badenhorst and Roberto Miceli of Italy will play against each other for a win.