NEW YORK – On Monday, the USTA and the American Tennis Association announced new initiatives to expand tennis diversity, focusing on increasing black representatives in sports.
Tennis is overwhelmingly facing criticism of the white professional ranks, with two black men (Arthur Ash and Yannick Noah) engaging in major trophies.
“We are proud to formalize our relationship with the ATA, which has a rich and renowned history of breaking barriers and turning tennis into a more diverse and inclusive sport,” said Marisa Grimes, USTA’s leading diversity, equity and inclusive officer, in a statement.
The ATA was founded in 1916 after the USTA predecessor, the USTA Lawn Tennis Association, banned competition with white players in organized tournaments.
The partnership coincides with when Althea Gibson celebrated the 75th anniversary of 1950’s breaking the colour barrier, becoming the first black tennis player to compete in the US national championship, and later became the US Open.
“This is also the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ash being the first and only African-American man to win the Wimbledon Men’s Singles Championship. I recall saying that “no matter what you’re doing, someone helped you.” “This collaboration with USTA will help raise awareness of the ATA, grow the brand and increase the footprint of the tennis community.”
The initiative includes a mentorship programme to develop a diverse range of tennis professionals and coaches at the junior level and above.
Reuters contributed to this report.