Black Queens of the Tennis Court.

From Althea and Zina to Venus and Serena

The Williams sisters' ascent to the top of the tennis world is a pale reminder of how few African American women have been on the professional tennis tour. But still greater than the achievements of Venus and Serena, despite sexism, racism and their non-traditional path to tennis glory, is the increased awaxeness of game of the tennis in urban areas.

"We want to be just like Tiger (Woods)," proclaimed Venus in a recent interview. "We want our success to extend to our communities, so others can enjoy the success that we're having."

It is this postme that has spurred several recent publications about the Williams sisters that many find to be enjoyable reading. Among them are Mark Stewart's Venus & Serena Williams: Sisters in Arms (Tennis New Wave, October 2000), a primer for young people between the ages of 9-12, Gabrial Flynn's Venus and Serena Williams: Sport Superstars, and Lawrence Schimel's Venus and Serena Williams.

While we applaud the Williams sisters for energizing tennis in the African American community, let us not forget Althea Gibson, the first African American tennis star, whose array of firsts made her one of the more significant athletes of the twentieth century. For many, it was Gibson's pioneering efforts that paved the way for the Williamses, as well as Zina Garrison.

Garrison was a Wimbledon Grand Slam finalist in 1990, an Olympic gold medalist, and a three-time Grand Slam mixed doubles champion, who long ago acknowledged the role of Gibson in her success. She has recently revealed that she has written a new book entitled Zina: My Life In Women's Tennis (Frog Ltd., October 2000), which explores her ups and downs experienced on the pro tennis tour.

Garrison, who is now an assistant to Billie Jean King and the United State Tennis Association (USTA), has arduously maintained a junior tennis program in Houston, Texas. She and other professional African American women tennis professionals like Chanda Rubin, believe that the tennis stars of tomorrow will be those whose interest in the sport began as youngsters.

"Although the pressure of being a role model is harrowing," said Garrison, "it is absolutely necessary to influence future tennis professionals at a young age." While the hope is high for the continued prosperity of African American women in tennis, the reality for the future in general, is not that bright. Unless more African Americans compete in the sport as children, it is very unlikely that they will be apart of the sports world as adults.

"Today, those chances are severely limited," said Richard E. Lapchick, director of Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, "by the scarcity of programs for boys and girls in urban areas." Urban youth tennis programs are needed to change that.

To have tennis spread its benefits to many urbans areas will take some doing, even if the Williamses remain on top for the next decade, but it can help give vision to chlildren fighting to believe in what they cannot see.