Wimbledon will show growth of Black representation in tennis
Black tennis community has never had as many prominent players and storylines as now
Before the French Open began a few weeks ago, the burgeoning friendship of Naomi Osaka and Taylor Townsend showed something that garnered even more social media attention than their joyous vacation trip last fall.
The two tennis-playing mothers hosted an all-Black tennis players party in Paris, a scenario that would have elicited as much disbelief a decade ago — even in what was thought to be Venus and Serena Williams’ final playing chapters — as being told the White House was hosting a UFC fight card.
The attendance was wonderful, featuring two-time Grand Slam tournament winner Coco Gauff, beloved retiring showman Gael Monfils, doubles specialist Asia Muhammad, and former Wimbledon quarterfinalist and commentator Christopher Eubanks. The event received widespread praise from the Black tennis social media community, though it also faced much irrational criticism and scorn.
The Paris dinner was a fitting celebration of the increased visibility of the Black player in tennis today. And with the 2026 Wimbledon getting underway Monday, Osaka and Townsend’s gathering showcased the many incredible tennis players and stories from the African diaspora poised for continued success in the coming weeks.
Serena Williams’ incredible comeback that began in doubles two weeks ago at Queen’s Club is just the latest paradigm of the depth of Black tennis. Instead of partnering with Venus, Serena unexpectedly chose new sensation Victoria Mboko.
The 19-year-old Canadian prodigy had one of the most remarkable calendar-year rises in tennis history in 2025, going from being ranked outside the top 300 to a top-20 player. She started 2026 by entering the top 10 and has been billed as a future major winner because of her powerful serve, accurate groundstrokes and maturity.
While the news of Mboko being chosen for the honor was largely kept under wraps, the partnership was a calculated decision by Serena Williams, arguably women’s all-time greatest player. She specifically sought a doubles partner who was not only inspired by her, but who also reflects the talent that the Williams sisters fostered for Black boys and girls.
Mboko successfully contributed to Serena winning her return match in their opening-round doubles win at Queens, showcasing a desire for perfection reminiscent of her legendary partner in their hilarious post-match interview with Eubanks.
Unfortunately for Mboko, the very next day saw her suffer an injury in her singles match that not only ended her time with Serena in London but ruled her out for the rest of the grass court season, Wimbledon included. Despite that crushing news, Mboko at least has plenty of time in her precocious career to win Slams.
Her short but life-altering partnership with Serena is just one of a myriad of current, captivating Black tennis stories.
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Going into Wimbledon, both charismatic American men Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe have won grass court warmup titles to raise expectations of possibly being only the second Black man to win Wimbledon (following the legendary Arthur Ashe more than 50 years ago).
Last week, Tiafoe earned the biggest title of his career by taking the coveted ATP 500 at Halle, Germany, becoming the first Black player to hoist that trophy. Seven days prior, Shelton — who recently reentered the top 5 in the ATP rankings — took his second crown of the year in Germany by securing a grass court championship in Stuttgart. Both come into this Wimbledon with confidence and belief that they could be the first American man to win a singles Slam title in nearly 23 years.
Uber-talented 25-year-old Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime has risen to No. 4 in the ATP rankings. He will fancy his chances at winning a future major, particularly after Alexander Zverev’s long-awaited breakthrough at the French Open this season. Joining Auger-Aliassime is Gabriel Diallo. The 24-year-old former University of Kentucky standout possesses a 136 mph serve, a huge forehand and superb athleticism. He proved his potential with his only ATP title at ‘s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands last summer and will be a feared opponent at Wimbledon.
On the women’s side, besides Serena Williams’ much-publicized singles return and reunion with her big sister in doubles, a litany of title contenders and dark horses are present among Black WTA players.
Gauff may not have had the first half of 2026 that she demands of herself, but the two-time Grand Slam winner still has the tactical and competitive mentality to make a deep run. Wimbledon, however, has proven to be the most difficult major for Gauff in her career, as she has yet to reach the quarterfinals of the tournament in her six previous attempts. The 22-year-old, however, showed signs in Berlin of being the dominant, multiple-ace server on grass that she has the talent to be.
Desperate to add to her four Grand Slam titles, Osaka, now 28, has not let the frustrations of being so close to a huge run at big tournaments diminish her enthusiasm for the game. It’s been one of tennis’ conundrums that Osaka — with her powerful, quick strokes and underrated mobility — hasn’t had a deep Wimbledon run in her already Hall of Fame career. This year’s Wimbledon could finally be the moment that everything clicked for Osaka with her run to the final in the preceding Bad Homburg, Germany, event a fantastic sign.
Madison Keys and Jasmine Paolini may have both slipped in the WTA rankings, but both could add another memorable Wimbledon to their past successes. The 31-year-old American Keys has found top form entering the year’s third major, winning the big warmup tournament at Eastbourne for a third time Saturday without dropping a set all week. The Italian Paolini is always proud of her mother’s Ghanaian heritage and has proved she is a threat on grass after her 2024 run to the final. Paolini has drawn in her Wimbledon first round another incredible story in ascending American lefty Robin Montgomery, who sent all her friends on tour into a tizzy two weeks ago.
The 21-year-old Washington, D.C., native, who is close with fellow College Park Tennis Center alums Tiafoe and Hailey Baptiste, became the lowest ranked WTA player (No. 484) to ever win a grass court title and fifth-lowest ranked WTA player to win a tournament in ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Montgomery’s ranking was so low because she missed nearly nine months after undergoing right wrist surgery following a loss in the final round of 2025 Wimbledon qualifiers.
What a difference a year makes for Montgomery.
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Let’s not forget these other Black tennis forces exhibiting their abilities over the next fortnight.
The French duo of Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard could have arguably the most skilled offensive games on the men’s side. Atlanta’s Alycia Parks, who was Serena Williams’ practice partner earlier this year, has the power and dexterity to overwhelm anyone she faces. It’s why Serena Williams felt she was at times training against a young, still-developing version of herself, as both hit groundstrokes as hard as anyone ever has in the women’s game.
The aforementioned Townsend continues to be one of the greatest doubles players of this generation, still basking in winning another Slam at the French Open with current partner Katerina Siniakova. Townsend, 30, is an extremely tricky first-round opponent for reigning Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek. One should not be surprised if Townsend were to produce the upset there as a lively underdog.
Paolini isn’t the only Black Italian tennis story, as 18-year-old Tyra Caterina Grant successfully qualified for her first Grand Slam at this Wimbledon. The daughter of former NBA power forward Tyrone Grant, Tyra Grant was born in Rome while her father was playing professionally there and switched from representing the U.S. to Italy last spring. Grant has a powerful yet controlled game similar to Mboko.
You could forgive someone if they forget one of the growing number of Black tennis standouts. That speaks to the growth of Black representation in tennis.
It’s what the legacies of Althea Gibson and Ashe, after the racism and anti-Blackness they encountered, fully deserve. The pathway they laid led to diligence of 1980s and 1990s flag bearers Zina Garrison, Lori McNeil, MaliVai Washington, Chanda Rubin and Ben Shelton’s father Bryan. Monfils, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, James Blake, Donald Young, Heather Watson and Dustin Brown’s efforts also contributed to the visibility of Black tennis players, with veterans Sloane Stephens, Keys and the Williams sisters’ still iconic personalities not done yet.
Despite the cruel subtractions this Wimbledon of Mboko and Baptiste (who suffered an ACL injury at the French Open), the Black tennis community has never had as many prominent players and stories as it has now. It makes these upcoming two weeks for fans of Black tennis players all the more satisfying.