Showing posts with label Gibson. Show all posts
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Venus, Serena Williams to Play on Opening Night
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Venus Williams and Serena Williams will play back-to-back matches on Opening Night of the US Open. They will compete following a historic tribute to Althea Gibson that will celebrate the 50th anniversary of her historic title victory at the U.S. Nationals (formerly the US Open).
Serena Williams was the first black woman since Althea Gibson to win the US Open.
Venus Williams was the first black woman since Gibson to win Wimbledon. Together, Serena Williams and Venus Williams have won 14 Grand Slam titles. Each has won the US Open twice.
“Opening Night will be one of the most historic nights in US Open history,” said Arlen Kantarian, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, USTA.
“We can’t imagine a more fitting way to commemorate Althea Gibson’s achievements than seeing these two great champions -- and pioneers in their own right -- take the stage on Opening Night.”
“Althea Gibson opened the door," said Zina Garrison, U.S. Fed Cup Captain. “Venus and Serena knocked it down.”
The Opening Night Ceremony, entitled “Breaking Barriers,” will feature more than 15 African-American female pioneers from the fields of sports, entertainment, politics and the arts in a special on-court celebration of Althea Gibson’s life and career.
Serena Williams is scheduled to play Angelique Kerber of Germany. Venus Williams drew a qualifier for her first-round match-up.
Source -- USTA
Posted by Shelia at 4:56 AM Labels: Garrison, Gibson, Serena, USOpen, Venus Email this post
Black Women Who Broke Barriers To Come Together and Honor Gibson on Opening Night
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
NEW YORK (AP) -Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Aretha Franklin, Carol Moseley Braun and other pioneering black women will come together on the U.S. Open's opening night to celebrate the legacy of late tennis star Althea Gibson.
The USTA is commemorating the 50th anniversary of Gibson's historic title at the U.S. National Championships. In 1957, she became the first black tennis player, male or female, to win the tournament, which became the Open.
"Tennis has its own Jackie Robinson, and we want to tell the world the story," said Arlen Kantarian, the USTA's chief executive of pro tennis.
Gibson will also be inducted into the U.S. Open Court of Champions, based on the result of an international media vote, during the Aug. 27 ceremony.
Titled "Breaking Barriers," the tribute to Gibson will feature trailblazers in the worlds of sports, entertainment, politics and the arts. Franklin, the first black woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, will perform. Among the other women scheduled to participate are Joyner-Kersee, the Olympic track and field champion; Braun, the former U.S. Senator; Phylicia Rashad, the "Cosby Show" actress; former WNBA star Cynthia Cooper; Winter Olympians Vonetta Flowers and Debi Thomas; tennis player Zina Garrison; astronaut Mae Jemison; and BET co-founder Sheila Johnson.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Billie Jean King and Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson's widow, are also expected to attend.
The tribute has been more than six months in the making, Kantarian said, and its scope grew as other trailblazing women responded with great enthusiasm to the idea.
"Once we reached out and began to let people know what we were thinking of doing, we were overwhelmed with all those who wanted to be a part of this ceremony," he said.
Gibson broke the color barrier in tennis in 1950 and went on to win 11 Grand Slam titles. She died in 2003 at the age of 76.
Posted by Shelia at 7:14 AM Labels: Garrison, Gibson, Grand Slam, USOpen Email this post
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