USTA, ATA Announce New Initiative to Grow Black Representation in Tennis
Posted: April 28, 2025 in Suppliers
USTA
PURCHASE, N.Y. – After years of successful collaboration, the United States Tennis Association Incorporated (USTA) and the American Tennis Association (ATA) announce a new initiative reflecting their shared mission to grow participation, retention and leadership opportunities among diverse communities in tennis. The pillars of this new initiative include increasing Black representation in tennis, a mentorship program developing pipelines of diverse professionals in coaching and tennis careers and inspiring future generations to participate in the sport.
The oldest African-American sports organization in the United States, the ATA was founded in 1916 by a group of African-American businessmen, college professors, and physicians in response to the exclusion of Black players from competing in US Lawn Tennis Association (precursor to the USTA) organized tennis tournaments alongside White players. Today, the ATA continues to develop and promote opportunities through tennis in diverse communities.
Through this collaboration, the USTA and ATA will create a new series of events called “The Prelude to ATA Nationals,” which aims to enhance player retention and expand competitive opportunities for juniors throughout the year. The series, which is open to all, kicked off this past weekend in Dallas (download video | download photos) and is scheduled to continue in Washington, D.C. (May 23-25), Atlanta (June 6-8), and Houston (June 28-29). Each event will feature an adult social, community play day, tournament play, and culminate in the ATA National Championships.
The ATA National Championships is a historic tennis tournament that brings hundreds of players of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities to compete on a national stage. The tournament also features networking events, educational sessions, and the ACE Awards, which recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to ensuring that tennis is accessible to all. The 2025 ATA National Championships will be held from July 28 to August 3 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla.
This year, the USTA will host a “Careers in Tennis Open House” during ATA National Championship Week. Open to high school and college students, the event will provide young people with the opportunity to learn about the tennis industry, have their resumes reviewed, and participate in mock interviews.
This new initiative will also enable the USTA and ATA to collaborate on the creation of curated educational content throughout the year, including newsletters and webinars that focus on tennis initiatives, volunteer opportunities, health and wellness, career development, and other relevant topics.
“We are proud to formalize our relationship with the ATA, which has a rich and storied history of breaking down barriers and transforming tennis into a sport that is more diverse and inclusive,” said Marisa Grimes, the USTA’s Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. “Tennis has experienced remarkable growth over the past year, with a 26-percent increase in participation in the Black community nationwide. This will provide us opportunities to continue that momentum and combine our resources so that we’re not just opening doors – we’re building pathways for the next generation of diverse players, coaches, and leaders in the sport.”
“2025 is the 75th anniversary of Althea Gibson breaking the color barrier by competing in the 1950 U.S. National Championship. This is also the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe being the first and only African American male to win the Wimbledon men’s singles championship. As great as these achievements were, I am reminded of Althea saying, ‘No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you,’ said Robert Foster, President of the ATA. “This collaboration with the USTA helps us to increase awareness of the ATA, grow our brand, and help increase the tennis community footprint. I believe everyone who participates will have a great time and benefit from this four-city endeavor as a prelude to the 2025 ATA Nationals.”
