It was fitting that Taylor Townsend walked on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Friday afternoon to kick off the championship matches during the final weekend of the 2025 US Open, as her memorable run on both singles and doubles not only was a needle-mover for a new generation of tennis fans, but also served as the latest reminder—or newest piece of information for the uninformed—of the impact that Althea Gibson has on the sport today.
And well beyond also.
Along with showcasing some of the world's best tennis during the American summer months, the 2025 US Open also served as a three-week celebration of the 75th anniversary of Gibson breaking the color barrier in tennis, when she participated in the U.S. National Championships, the predecessor to the US Open.
While Gibson's accomplishments in singles—winning five Grand Slam titles in the discipline—have been at the forefront of the praise bestowed on the legend, as well as being the tennis progenitor that saw the likes of Arthur Ashe, the Williams sisters and Coco Gauff come afterward, she also won five majors on the doubles court, including three consecutive Wimbledon doubles titles with three different partners.
So seeing Townsend’s commanding presence on the main show court competing for a championship, with images and vignettes of a young Gibson on the tennis court playing regularly on the scoreboards, felt as if it was meant to be.
“You never know why things happen the way that they do, but for me I felt very honored to be able to kind of carry and hold that flag and that torch and to be able to continue to move it forward,” Townsend said after her women’s doubles final match about Gibson’s legacy. “You know, I feel like representation is very important, and you only need one.
“Althea was for us, as women of color, the first. Arthur Ashe was the first man of color for us to be able to really see that, performing in this arena at the highest level as possible, no matter what challenges that we're faced with.”
Before the second women’s singles semifinal on Thursday evening, a ceremony was held inside Ashe where Venus Williams celebrated the launch of the Williams Family Excellence Program, in conjunction with the USTA Foundation. The initiative will support young people from underserved communities with academic support, career pathways and mentorship opportunities to prepare them to live their best lives both on and off the court.
The announcement also was the continuation of the link between the Williams sisters (arguably the most influential forces in tennis in the 21st century) and Gibson that started a quarter century ago, when a 17-year-old Serena Williams sent a fax with a list of questions to Gibson for a school project.
Venus, making her 25th appearance at the US Open this year, marked that moment in her first-round match by wearing a white polo shirt and skirt, an homage to Gibson’s on-court attire throughout her career.
“I think the most important part is that we are celebrating it and recognizing it, because Althea accomplished so much, and a lot of it has not been given the credit it deserves and the attention and the praise,” Williams said. “I think that's the most important part to me, just shining light on it and seeing, just acknowledging that.”
The acknowledgement of Gibson’s impact was almost constant throughout the fortnight: from the HBCU Live event that featured Florida A&M’s marching band (Gibson graduated from the university), to the number of Black tennis stars who participated in on-court ceremonies, including Ann Koger, one of the first Black women to play on the pro tour. Koger went on to coach at Haverford College for 35 years—and once pulled her team from a South Carolina event as part of a boycott around the state capitol’s Confederate flag.
“When you know your history, you can make better decisions. You can be inspired by it,” said Leslie Allen, former Top-20 player, Gibson protégé and the first Black woman after Gibson to win a WTA Tour-level event. “So some people came to tennis because of Venus and Serena, not realizing there were four decades of people before they contributed. And we all stand on each other's shoulders. You don't study history just so you can know. They all have a story to tell, and one of them may just resonate with somebody.
“Women athletes were not revered like they are today, and Black women who are tall, powerful or articulate [like Gibson] were intimidating on the court and off the court, which was one of the reasons why she was ostracized,” Allen added.
Today’s Black tennis stars—in all their height, power and eloquence—are clearly resonating with audiences of a wide reach today. And one of those figures, Ben Shelton, is the perfect example of the domino effect that Gibson’s bravery triggered; from attending college (University of Florida) to highlighting the opportunity and success of a Black coach (Bryan Shelton, former ATP Tour player and Ben’s father). To complete the full-circle moment, Shelton, before his first-round match two Sundays ago, met Gibson’s family on the court, allowing the generational link between Gibson and Shelton to shine even more.
"She was the trailblazer for African Americans in tennis," said Shelton, a 2023 US Open semifinalist. "If it wasn't for her ... who knows if my dad is ever playing tennis as a Black kid in Alabama in the '70s and '80s."
Without Gibson, there might have been no Bryan Shelton, nor Ben Shelton, nor Ben’s one-time mixed doubles partner at the US Open, Townsend. In a year where Townsend, Gauff and Evan King all reached a final at Roland Garros in the spring, as well as two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka and now two-time US semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime reaching the final four in New York this week, the biggest breakout star of this fortnight believes there is indeed a symbiotic effect that links those performances to Gibson.
“I definitely think that it's been amazing that the USTA decided to honor Althea this year. Especially with the way that women of color and men of color have shown up in this event has been really great,” Townsend said. “So I do think that it's synergy.“
