Who would have thought that an African American not named Frances Tiafoe would reach the men’s quarterfinals of the 2023 Australian Open? Or, for that matter, who would have thought there would be more than a couple African Americans, including Tiafoe, even playing in the main draw of the event? There were four! And, finally, … More Black American men make some noise at Australian Open
The 2022 US Open was the most exciting tennis event I have witnessed in my lifetime. I am certain legions of Black tennis fans would agree. Never in the more than five decades that I have followed tennis have I seen so much love and affection showered on so many black players as there was … More As Serena exits, Coco and Frances shine
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
Two years ago, Washington D.C. area tennis fans were abuzz with anticipation of seeing teen sensation Cori “Coco” Gauff perform at the Citi Open, following her improbable fourth-round run at the Wimbledon Championships, which included a stunning upset of her idol Venus Williams. But when the curtains closed on opening day of the D.C. tennis … More Hailey Baptiste flying high under the radar
I want to give a high five and a fist bump to former WTA player Leslie Allen for her rebuke of a recent statement released by the United States Tennis Association during the surge of protests ignited by the brutal killing of George Floyd under the knee of a Minneapolis cop. The death of Floyd … More USTA omits its past in statement on race
If you’ve been following this blog, you probably have figured out I am a big fan of Frances Tiafoe, the 20-year-old rising tennis star from Hyattsville, Md. He is having an amazing season in his third year on the ATP World Tour with a 20-12 record so far. He clinched his first title in March, … More Black Canadian creating lots of buzz
As I savor the recent success of rising young tennis phenoms Frances Tiafoe and Naomi Osaka, my thoughts keep shifting to the blockbuster movie “Black Panther.” The Marvel production about a black superhero has enjoyed unprecedented crossover appeal, packing movie theaters from California to Calcutta and grossing more than a billion dollars at the box … More The future is now for Tiafoe and Osaka
As the curtain descends on the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) 2017 season, it appears rising American star Frances Tiafoe has secured his spot among the top 100 players in the world. The Hyattsville, MD., native was ranked No. 78 entering the final week. That’s quite an accomplishment for the 19-year-old Tiafoe, who turned pro … More Tiafoe falls short of 2017 goals, but proves he is ready for the show
Frances Tiafoe is working it — both on and off the tennis court! The 19-year-old Hyattsville, Md., native has won just two of nine matches on the ATP World Tour this season, yet he has soared 45 spots in the men’s singles rankings. As of June 19, Tiafoe was perched at No. 63, his highest rank … More Tiafoe continues to rise, shine as ATP pro
Obviously, the highlight of the 2017 Australian Open was the women’s championship match between Serena and Venus Williams. It was a match for the ages in more ways than one. For black tennis fans, the final was a thrilling prelude to Black History month, with Serena again rewriting the books by becoming the all-time Grand … More Thoughts on the Australian Open
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