Friday, June 09, 2006
The Barriers Have Broken: Black Tennis Stars Emerge in France
It's been over 10 years since the Williams Sisters turned pro. They're domination in the sport of tennis shattered stereotypes and old attitudes but most importantly, broke barriers that have long stood in the way of black athletes excelling in the predominantly white sport.
But it looks like those once iron-clad barriers may now be a thing of the past.
If you've caught any coverage of the French Open this year, you may have noticed the increase of young black athletes on the Roland Garros clay. Aside from the usual suspects Venus Williams and James Blake, the sensational Frenchman Gael Monfils and Americans Mashona Washington, Shenay Perry and Jamea Jackson all graced the courts of the Grand Slam Championship. Though none made it to the final, Venus Williams and James Blake were the last Americans standing in Paris and Gael Monfils is fast-becoming one of the sports brightest young stars.
Finally, the (tennis) playing fields are leveling. We can't wait to see what these young athletes serve up next.
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9 comments:
Thanks to Althea and Arthur, and probably countless others before that, this is a pleasant surprise.
What's next for us to rule and take over. Bring it on!
That image gave me chills. We sure have come a long way!
I'm with you, P!
That was the first time I'd seen so many black tennis players at a single event. I think they might have set some kind of record.
I have been looking for sites like this for a long time. Thank you!
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Yayyyyy!
There was a clip of Papa Williams on Oprah one time, saying to the Tennis Associations globally, "You had better hurry and get some more color into Tennis, because before Venus and Serena tennis was nothing." Those girls put tennis on the map.
Keep it coming. Continue making noise and being seen and break those sterotypes of clownishness and buffoonery.
I am so mad...Why have I not heard of this site, prior to today?
We have to blow this site up. It is what we need to push and pull ours into a cohesive group that will blast the crab in the barrel syndrome blacks suffer.
Keep up the good and positive work. I will be doing my part on behalf of our race of promoting this site of power and positive praise.
Please do not get me wrong, I promote a number of sites I consider positive and uplifting regardless of color as long as it is not stereotyping my people.
We have to drop the fear of success, ban together, and push/pull each other into power.
Together we can overcome the negatives.
Go Tennis.
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Pretty worthwhile piece of writing, much thanks for the post.
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