As I watched the inaugural United Cup tennis tournament at the start of the 2023 season, I spotted an African American woman whom I did not recognize on the United States team bench. Through a process of elimination, I figured she was Alycia Parks, a deduction later confirmed by match announcers. Parks apparently was an … More Parks Has Big Game and High Hopes for 2023
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
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
Every time I watch Cori “Coco” Gauff play a tennis match, there comes a point where I find myself marveling over the fact this rising talent is still just a teenager. It is an awesome moment of reflection because inherent in the realization that Gauff is just 17 is an exciting anticipation that the best … More Coco Gauff ready for the red clay in Paris
When Katrina Adams was named president and CEO of the United States Tennis Association in 2015, becoming the first Black person to lead the 135-year-old organization, my mind flashed back to when we met about two years earlier. The occasion was a reception for tennis legend Billie Jean King at the National Press Club where … More Katrina Adams at the top of her game
In her run to a second Australian Open title – her fourth major championship overall – Naomi Osaka convinced me that she indeed has the intestinal fortitude to reign on the throne of women’s tennis. About a year ago, I had begun to have my doubts. After failing to defend her 2019 Australian Open title … More Osaka answers the question Down Under
Serena’s early exit. Coco’s big win. Another Sloane slump. Or Donald Young’s plunge into obscurity. Any one of those storylines could have been suitable for a blog on the 2020 Australian Open from a black perspective. But I chose to focus on Taylor Townsend, a 23-year-old Chicago-born lefty, who reached the second round of the … More Taylor Townsend finding her groove
At the conclusion of the 2017 US Open Women’s tennis championships, I wrote about a young phenom who had just competed in the girls title match. Her name was Cori “Coco” Gauff, and she was 13. Let me repeat that: She was 13! The youngest girls’ finalist ever. At the time, I was struck by … More Coco’s Wimbledon run a preview of what’s to come
In 2004, Gael Monfils won the first three of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments – Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon – and finished the year as the top-ranked junior in the world. Later that year, he gave fans good reason to salivate over his star potential when he reached the quarterfinals of his … More Gael Monfils: From Wakanda With Love
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