If you had asked me before the start of this year’s US Open tennis tournament if I thought a teenager had a shot at winning the women’s title, I would have answered enthusiastically without hesitation in the affirmative. But neither Emma Raducanu, the 18-year-old Brit who won it, nor Leylah Fernandez, the 19-year-old Canadian who … More US Open draw raises eyebrows, questions
When my wife walked into our bedroom and told me softly that David Dinkins had passed the night before, my head began to swirl with memories of the time I spent covering his historic 1989 mayoral campaign and first few months in office as a reporter for New York Newsday. There was that night at … More David Dinkins remembered as avid tennis player and steady patron of the sport
I recently had the privilege of moderating an online panel discussion on the history of black tennis and the American Tennis Association, the nation’s oldest black sports organization. The 90-minute Zoom webinar attracted an engaging audience, with participants sending in comments and/or questions for the distinguished guests. I got goose bumps being in the company … More ATA seeking to revitalize
When I heard that Cecil Harris had another book on black tennis coming out, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy. Once I did, I was not disappointed. The 243-page book, Different Strokes: Serena, Venus, and the Unfinished Black Tennis Revolution, was everything I had hoped for and pleasantly more. Harris puts … More New book puts fresh spin on black tennis
For more than two decades, Robert W. Johnson Jr. presided over the instruction at the tennis boot camp in the back yard of his legendary father’s Lynchburg, Va., home. In 1955, he teamed with his dad to win the National Father and Son Doubles Championship. On July 4, Johnson will join his dad, Dr. Robert … More Robert Johnson Jr. heads 2020 BTHF class
Ever since he posted a comment on my blog page under the moniker “Mr. Tennis,” I have wanted to interview Wilbert (Bill) Davis, winner of 11 American Tennis Association national championships. But it wasn’t so much his tennis accomplishments that caught my interest, as it were the principles he began to adopt that day in … More ATA legend finds code to live by in tennis
It has been a pleasure watching Chanda Rubin grow as an analyst on Tennis Channel. She adds a wonderful blend of insight and perspective to the network’s match commentary. Yet, as I tried to connect Rubin’s keen knowledge of the rigors and nuances of professional tennis with her own career, I realized I had forgotten … More BTHF deserves award of its own
The first time I saw Christopher Eubanks on a tennis court I nearly gasped in fear. Here was this stick-figure – all arms and legs and a head – with a tennis racquet in his hands. I worried if he fell, the court would be littered with his shattered bones. And, as if his lack of … More Georgia Tech star turns pro
I recently renewed my membership in the American Tennis Association (ATA), the nation’s oldest black sports organization, but I must confess my enthusiasm was nowhere near as high as it was when I first joined in April of 2016. Since then, I have experienced one disappointment after another, including never having received a membership card. … More ATA in need of transfusion as it celebrates 100 years of existence
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