Bill Simons
New York
Exactly 75 years ago, Althea Gibson integrated the very white sport of tennis. Never mind, as Randy Walker noted, that her match was relegated to the smallest, most remote court at Forest Hills, while the movie star Ginger Rogers was put on Center Court to play her mixed doubles match.
Who would have known that since that day, August 28, 1950, an array of Black women – Leslie Allen, Zina Garrison, Katrina Adams, Lori McNeil, and, of course, Serena, Venus, Sloane Stephens, Madison and Coco – have dazzled in a way no other sport can approach.
This year, amidst much fanfare, the theme of the US Open has been “Breaking Barriers.” And, if you consider America’s contentious climate these days, this is just wonderful.
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Arthur Ashe once said, “If I had one last wish, I would ask that all Americans could see past the barbed wires of race and color. We are the weaker for these divisions, and stronger when we transcend them.”
Today, Latvian Jelena Ostapenko, who’s known for her petulance and combative ways, didn’t exactly transcend “the barbed wires of race.”
After the former French Open champion lost nine straight games to fall 7-5, 6-1 to African-American Taylor Townsend, the No. 27 in the world wagged her finger at her foe as a heated argument broke out at the net.
Ostapenko claimed that Townsend “was very disrespectful, as she had a net ball in a very deciding moment, and didn’t say ‘Sorry.’…It was first time ever that this happened to me…If she plays in her homeland it doesn’t mean that she can behave and do what she wants.”
Taylor, who is No. 143 in singles and No. 1 in doubles, said that Jelena “told me I had no class, I have no education and to see what happens when we get outside the US.”
All this prompted writer Adesina Koiki to ask, “For a lot of Black people, hearing, ‘No education, no class’ would be interpreted, and rightfully so, as a dog whistle. Do you believe that that had racial undertones?”
Townsend said, “I didn’t really take that personally…I stood up for myself…I’m very strong. I’m very proud as a Black woman…representing myself and our culture…I didn’t take it in that [racist] way, but also that’s been a stigma…of being not educated…
“It was unfortunate, but, you know, it’s something I can put on my TikTok…People have gotten a little bit soft. I’m not going to lie. It’s sports. People talk trash.
“The thing that I’m the most proud of is that I let my racket talk…She’s packed up and gone. I know I’m a fantastic player…This is another brick I’m laying on my foundation on my road to greatness.”
Ben Shelton called Jelena comments shocking, crazy statements and “not the smartest thing to say to an American player in New York City.
Inside Tennis then asked Frances Tiafoe about the place of African-Americans in tennis these days. He responded, “I think we’re in a tremendous place…Coco has a couple of Slams. You’ve got [Canadian Open winner Victoria] Mboko…Yes, I’m African American, but I’m African, and African-raised. So seeing someone like Mboko, Felix Auger-Aliassime, American Clervie Ngounoue and myself, that’s a whole different beast. There are parents that are coming to try to make these kids’ lives better…Being the son of immigrants, I understand that.
“To be able to see so many people of color do great things in a predominantly white sport, it’s tremendous…It brings unbelievable diversity… Young guys are looking up to me…African-Americans in tennis are at an all-time high right now – I mean, totally killing it…[It’s] so much bigger [than tennis itself]. Man. So much bigger…I had a little kid’s parents come up to me and say, ‘Yo, you saved my kid’s life.’ He turned a whole new leaf.’
“We’re inspiring people. Nipsey Hussle said it best: ‘The highest human act is to inspire.’ That’s why I want to pay it forward…We’re all truly blessed and highly favored.”
And as we write this report in Arthur Ashe Stadium, we think of a kickass woman who emerged out of Harlem and we ask ourselves, “What would Althea Gibson, some 75 years later, think of all this?”
THE SERVING ADVENTURES OF COCO GAUFF: A quarterback wouldn’t change his throwing motion just before the Super Bowl. A pitcher wouldn’t alter his curveball right before the World Series.
Coco Gauff’s different. Just days before the US Open began, she hired serving guru Gavin MacMillan, who saved Aryna Sabalenka’s career, to try and fix her serve. He’d just become available. She reasoned that there was no time to waste, a tournament is a tournament, and she didn’t have that many points to defend.
Soon, much of US Open coverage became all about reading the tea leaves. Not since that Spanish wonder Pablo Picasso has a stroke been analyzed so closely: step in, stay aggressive, don’t let your left arm drop, don’t sidearm it, your ball toss is messed up, and let’s not even talk about your shoulder rotation and racket path. And, we almost forgot, you’re a Pisces.
Most of all Coco, just RELAX – nobody’s looking, except the entire tennis universe – and this is only the first round of your home Slam which you won in 2023 – no pressure.
Tuesday night, Coco was playing a giant killer. In the first round she faced Alja Tomljanovic, who downed Serena and sent her into retirement in 2022. At times it looked like the Aussie, ranked No. 79, would dismiss No. 3 Gauff.
Coco’s play again was erratic, but after nearly three hours she fought back and played a brilliant game to score a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 victory. She “only” hit 10 double faults and made 59 unforced errors. The Floridian explained, “The first round is more stressful than the final, in my experience.”
She added, “The practice week was tough, because I was spending a lot of time on court serving, until my shoulder was hurting…I feel like it’s going in the right direction. For me, it’s trying not to go back to old habits in those tighter moments, and I think I did that today.
“Now it’s just really trusting that new motion in those moments…It’s like learning a new language…It’s not a mental thing. It’s a biomechanical thing.”
USELESS RECORD: Jannik Sinner’s long red hair is as wild and crazy as his face and body language are subdued and controlled. Having said that, let us note that now that the world No. 2, Carlos Alcaraz, has a buzz cut, there’s never been a greater gap in hair length between the No. 1 and 2 players in the world.
[Editor’s Note: When a bald Andre Agassi became No. 1 in 1995, No. 2 Pete Sampras’ hair wasn’t nearly as long as Sinner’s lovely mop top.]
TO EACH THEIR OWN: Fearing that she didn’t have enough match preparation going into the Open, Emma Navarro entered a tournament at the last minute in Monterey, Mexico, the week before the Open. Alexander Bublik, the No. 23 seed took a three-week vacation. Both are still going at the Open.
BILLIE JEAN BLING HITS THE BIG TIME: Both the world’s biggest tennis center and the world’s biggest women’s tennis competition are named for Billie Jean King. Then again, everything from libraries in California to Andy Roddick’s bulldog are named for the icon. But the giggly Naomi Osaka is going against the tide. After winning her first match, she spoke of the trendy, plush doll on her player bag, and told the crowd, “This is my Labubu. She’s named Billie Jean Bling, not Billie Jean King.”
MEDITATIONS ON MEDDY: People are still reflecting on Daniil Medvedev’s epic meltdown. Frances Tiafoe commented, “People don’t understand. You’re traveling a lot. He holds himself to a super high standard. He’s been struggling…to face losing to guys he feels he should be beating…[so] another side comes out…[but] I thought it was funny as hell.”
Medvedev’s fellow Russian Andrey Rublev, who is the godfather to Daniil’s child and who has faced serious depression, observed, “If he needs help he has me and a lot of other friends and family that will help him, but it’s his life…Only he knows what is happening.”
DRAPER’S DONE: No. 5 seed Jack Draper withdrew from the Open due to a bone bruise in his arm. It’s the first time a top 5 player in the draw has withdrawn from the US Open because of an injury.
JOIN THE CLUB: San Diego’s Zachary Svajda won the first set in his match against Djokovic – but then lost the next three sets. Now, at least, like scores of others, he’s in the club of players who can tell their grandchildren they got a set off the GOAT.
THE FOREMOST KYM SINCE KIM: Kim Clijsters is famous for winning two US Opens, and Jerome Kym made waves today here in New York. The Swiss qualifyer narrowly edged No. 30 Brandon Nakashima in a dramatic fifth-set tiebreak.
– Also reporting Lucia Hoffman
