Blacks in Tennis

This work explores the development of black participation in tennis throughout the world, from the Caribbean and Central America to Africa to the United States. It highlights the careers of superstars Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, Yannick Noah, and Venus and Serena Williams, among others.

---

Once upon a time, tennis was considered such a lily-white sport that its very dress style was restricted to white. The best-known tennis clubs were "exclusive," barring admission to all but a self-selected group of wealthy white players. However, as far back as the nineteenth century, black tennis clubs began to form in the United States, and the twentieth century saw the emergence of professional black tennis players who defied the odds and rose to the top ranks of their sport. This book explores the development of black participation in tennis throughout the world, from the Caribbean and Central America to Africa to the United States. It highlights the careers of superstars Althea Gibson, Arthur Ashe, Yannick Noah, and Venus and Serena Williams, among others, as well as lesser-known players in professional and collegiate tennis. Issues of sponsorship, image, and style, coupled with an unblinking look at the racism that has confronted these players, provide readers with a nuanced picture of the particular pressures and challenges black tennis players have faced, including the perception that they are expected to represent a race.