The day women’s tennis changed forever

The August 22, 1950 An unusual event occurred that was to change tennis forever: tennis player Althea Gibson was entered in the US Open of tennis. Although it may seem incredible to us today, until that historical date, black tennis players (neither men nor women) had never been allowed in the prestigious tournament.

Thus, after years of fighting for it, and with the invaluable collaboration of Alice Marble, Althea Gibson he would become a legend, for what he accomplished on the slopes, and for what he accomplished off of them. A legend full of successes, of overcoming barriers, from elimination of prejudices … and eternal legacy.

The problems of a black girl

Born in Silver, South Carolina, on August 25, 1927, Althea Gibson was descendant of a cotton family. At two years of age, his family, hit by the crisis of 29, was forced to leave the field where they worked, and move to Harlem, New York. There, in one of the most difficult parts of the city, little Althea would grow up.

Although the reality is that hardness was experienced by the young girl at home. Under the pretext of the difficulties that a black girl would have to face in that society, her father was always too demanding with her. It taught him to fight, figuratively and literally. Sometimes even pushing the limits. His will, his father’s, was for Althea to be a boxer. Despite the fact that female boxing was then prohibited.

Althea Gibson’s will was different. In the streets of Harlem he got to know tennis – or paddle tennis initially – and he really vibrated with this sport. He could spend hours and hours playing in an area that Catholic services set up for children with family problems. It would not take more than a few months to become the best player in New York.

Although that would be of little use, considering that it was a black girl. And in the Harlem of the 30s a black girl could only have problems, live on the street, or deal with something. Or all three, as was the case with Althea Gibson.

Although it would not for that reason stop playing tennis. He did well, because a stroke of fate was going to change his life forever. During one of his games in the city, the musician was among the public. Buddy Walker, that he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. That girl was pure talent. It didn’t take long for him to introduce her to his circle of friends -among which was, for example, Sugar Ray Robinson-, and, among several of them, they paid Althea some classes with the renowned tennis teacher Walter Johnson, discoverer among others of Arthur Ashe.

They were not wrong. Not Walker, not his friends, not of course Walter Johnson, who soon turned classes into hard workouts. Sessions of eight hours a day, five days a week – as the tennis player herself relates – so that Althea Gibson could be able to develop all the tennis that was inside her.

Alice Marble’s Salvation

However, despite adversity, Althea Gibson was slowly making her way into the world of tennis. The path that allowed him, of course, because it must be remembered that neither the United States Tennis Association nor the international federation allowed black tennis players to dispute their championships.

In 1942, at just 15 years old, Althea played, and won, her first tournament for the American Tennis Association (ATA), a federation founded by African-American athletes for African-American athletes. A victory that, despite everything, allowed the young tennis player make a name for yourself in the city.

It was then that the figure of Alice Marble to open all doors for Althea Gibson.

Alice Marble, an 18 grand slam winning former tennis player – and whose story deserves a separate chapter – was a highly respected voice in the world of tennis. He used it to, through his column in the magazine American Lawn Tennis Magazine, outline the need for the US Open to accept Althea Gibson among its participants. First and foremost, for his excellent tennis level, worthy of the championship. But also for “thereby breaking down archaic discriminatory barriers.”

And they listened to Marble. On August 22, 1950 Althea Gibson was officially entered in the US Open, a historic date as it was the black first person (of either sex) participating in the prestigious championship. Six days later she played her first match, beating Barbara Knapp (6-2, 6-2). She would fall in the second round to the three-time Wimbledon champion Louise Brough. His mere presence at the tournament generated enormous expectation, especially in the media.

That meant the definitive accolade that the young tennis player needed, who from then on began to win great championships. The first title would come in Jamaica, but it would be at the 1956 Roland Garros where Althea Gibson would consecrate herself, by becoming the first black tennis player to win a Grand Slam title.

Only a year later she became the first black player to win in Wimbledon. A triumph in the most important tournament on the planet that earned him recognition at home. Gibson was greeted with tributes and ovations upon her return to New York. An image that radically collided with the sensations of that time. With the experience of the tennis player herself only a few months before. It could be said that it was the first black woman to achieve such recognition.

Only a few months later Althea Gibson confirmed her status by also prevailing in the US Open. She was, of course, the first black tennis player to do so.

In total, during his career, Gibson would win 11 Grand Slams, all in an interval of just 3 years (between 1956 and 1958): 1 Roland Garros, 2 Wimbledon and 2 US Open individually; 3 Wimbledon, 1 Roland Garros and 1 Australian Open in women’s doubles; and a US Open in mixed doubles.

Everything changes, everything stays the same

After that brilliant streak, Althea Gibson decided to quit tennis. Despite the fact that she was undoubtedly the best tennis player on the planet, the economic gains that she obtained with it were rather small. He tried to go professional, but that had nothing to do with today.

So in 1964 she became a professional golfer. It was the first black player on the LPGA, although in golf I would live even more harshly if possible the difficulties of racism in a very elitist sport. There were not a few players who refused to face Althea Gibson because she was black; several tournaments vetoed his participation with pretexts as varied as absurd; and when they let him play, he had to change in the car because he was not allowed to enter the Country Club. For being black.

Over time – and with the collaboration of the then director of the LPGA – Althea increased her participation in championships, reaping decent results. In 1970 it was second at the Columbus Open, and in 1966 she reached her best position in the ranking, being the 27th player in the world. He left golf in 1978.

It was then that she returned to tennis as a coach, with the main objective of trying to help talents who, like her when she was little, were in disadvantaged neighborhoods and had little chance of bringing out their tennis.

Not only that. Althea Gibson also tried out as a singer and saxophonist, obtaining some success. He appeared on different television shows. And it even became part of the John Ford movie The Horse Soldiers (‘Misión de audaces’ in Spanish), in which he raised a stir for refusing to speak with the stereotypical African-American accent that was popular in Hollywood. He would also be a sportscaster for many years.

Althea would pass away on September 28, 2003, with 76 years, after suffering a respiratory infection and another in the bladder.

After his death, the recognitions and tributes multiplied. Recognitions and tributes not only to one of the best tennis players of all time, but also to a person who fought against racism; that it contributed to the change of the stereotypes of the American society of the 60s; So what managed to win, on the track and off it.