The Williams Sisters are Absent from Wimbledon Where Their Legacy Remains
There are more African American women playing in Wimbledon than African American men playing in the World Series.
This Wimbledon is the first time since 1996 that neither Venus nor Serena Williams is in the tournament.
But look beyond the green grass and all-white attire to the many black players at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club. More than 16 black players are in the main draw at Wimbledon this year. That’s the norm, thanks to Venus and Serena.
As much as Venus and Serena influenced how women play the game, their most significant impact on tennis is who plays it.
I thought about Serena and Venus a couple of weeks ago when a Major League Baseball event sparked discussions about how few African Americans play what used to be America’s favorite pastime.
In an attempt to right some of the wrongs carried out against black ball players during the Jim Crow era, MLB held a special game between the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals at historic Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, once the home of a Negro League team.
The celebration honored baseball legend Willie Mays, who had died days before the event, and other Negro League players. The game also featured the first all-black officiating crew.
Yet, the most talked about part of the festivities happened during pre-game when retired Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson spoke about the racism he faced when he played at Rickwood.
“The racism when I played here, the difficulty of going through different places where we traveled, fortunately I had a manager and players on the team that helped me go through it,” said Jackson. “But I wouldn’t wish it on anybody.”
Flanked by retired players Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter, Jackson said people pointed at him and called him the N-word. Some racists threatened to burn down an apartment building where he slept.
Rodriguez is the son of Dominican immigrants, and Ortiz is a naturalized US Citizen born in the Dominican Republic. Even if you consider Jeter half-black, there were more African American men in that broadcast booth than on the field. The Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn was the lone African American in the game.
According to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport at the University of Central Florida, African American players represented just 6.2 percent of MLB opening-day rosters in 2023. In 1991, the first year the study was conducted, 18 percent of MLB players were African American.
Today, I watched four African American women play matches at Wimbledon. More African American women—Alycia Parks, Taylor Townsend, Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, and Robin Montgomery—are in the main draw at Wimbledon than were in the MLB National League and American League championship series last year.
Keep in mind, I didn’t include African Americans Asia Muhammad and Hailey Baptiste, who are playing doubles at Wimbledon, or other black women such as Naomi Osaka (Japan), Jasmine Paolini (Italy), and Heather Watson (Great Britain). Serena and Venus influenced them all.
When Serena won the 1999 U.S. Open, 41 years had passed since the last African American woman, Althea Gibson, had won a Major title. Serena retired with 23 Grand Slam singles titles. But she won’t have to wait 41 years for a follow-up act.
There are three active African American female players—Venus, Stephens, and Gauff—with nine Grand Slam titles combined. Yeah, Serena and Venus saw the game change while still playing.
It’s not just baseball. Despite Tiger Woods’ popularity, more African Americans were on the PGA Tour in the 1970s than today.
It’s wild to think there are more active black women with Grand Slam titles than the number of black men in the World Series or on the PGA Tour.
That’s a sad indictment of baseball and golf but a testament to Venus and Serena. The Williams sisters changed the color of the game. They will be missed at Wimbledon, but their legacy remains.
The American Tennis Association holds National Championships in Orlando
Speaking of African Americans in tennis, the American Tennis Association is holding its annual National Championships in Orlando from July 22 to 28.
The ATA is the oldest African American Sports organization in the United States. Back when black people were banned from participating in Grand Slams, the ATA was the tennis version of the Negro Leagues.
Althea Gibson and Arthur Ashe won titles in the ATA before Grand Slam glory. Zina Garrison, the first black woman to reach a Grand Slam final in the open era, also played in the ATA.
(In the video below, Venus Williams helps narrate Gibson’s remarkable journey from segregation to shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth II).
Unlike the Negro Leagues, the ATA remains a thriving, active organization open to people of all races. The goal of the ATA has been to drive diversity, inclusion, and equity in the game of tennis.
The ATA hosts adult and junior tournaments and awards prize money at its National Championships.
The ATA lobbied hard to get Gibson into the 1951 United States National Championships (now the US Open). That was the first time an African American was allowed to compete in a Grand Slam. In her 30s, Gibson won five Major titles in two years.
I wonder how many Grand Slams Gibson would have won if she had been allowed to compete in her teens, like Margaret Court, who won her first Slam at age 17.
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The winner of the ATA Men's / Women's event will each receive $1,500 plus a wildcard into a $15k USTA Pro Event. The finalists of the ATA Men's/Women's event will each receive $750.
Coffee Mocktail: The Blue Latte
Yes, it’s Wimbledon, but Americans also celebrate Independence Day, July 4, this week. Of course, I have a coffee drink for the fourth. It’s the Blue Latte. Serve this on a red tray or star-bangled table runner; you’ve got a red, white, and blue coffee treat.
What you’ll need
Ice
20 ml of Curacao syrup
20 ml milk.
2 shots of espresso.
Instructions
Fill the glass with ice
Mix 20ml of Curacao syrup and 20ml of milk and pour over ice.
Then pour 250ml milk.
Pour 60ml (2 shots) of espresso.
Smash’n Fashion: Wimbledon White Out
Wimbledon is the only Major tournament that requires players to wear all white. While that might seem boring, I’ve always thought this tournament is where clothing designers shine. Fit, finishes, trim, pleats, and other details must stand out to distinguish one outfit from another.
Let’s preview some styles you’ll see at the All England Club this week.
American Bernarda Pera will wear a Lacoste Women’s Ultra Dry Tennis Dress with removable shorts. I love the classic trim. The dress is available in other colors.
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His return was iffy, but Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play at Wimbledon tomorrow, less than a month after minor knee surgery. Djokovic wears his classic Lacoste polo with Asics sneakers. The guy knows his style and sticks with it.
Caroline Wozniacki will wear Adidas, but it won’t be like when she was ranked No. 1 and had her own Stella McCartney-designed Adidas line. Instead, she will be one of many wearing the Adidas FW24 London Collection.
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Stay tuned throughout this Wimbledon fortnight as Courtside Coffee brings you more Smash’n (white) Fashion. Yes, we have to talk about Osaka’s ruffles.
Wimbledon Week Two: Looking ahead to quarterfinals and semifinals.
Coffee Corner: Strawberry Latte.
I really enjoyed the article on the Williams sisters and Wimbledon. The article provided some history. I will try a few of the recipes.
Love that you include fashion in your newsletters ✨