Althea Gibson

Althea Gibson must be smiling over Venus, Serena

Submitted by dgec on Fri, 07/11/2008 - 10:53.
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Richard Lapchick, ESPN.com

As Venus and Serena Williams reached the 2008 Wimbledon final, many noted the great athletic accomplishments for the sisters, and fewer noted it as another racial milestone in sports. Venus's fifth singles title is surely remarkable, but it pales in comparison to the trailblazing efforts of Althea Gibson at Wimbledon in 1957.
 

Althea GibsonAlthea Gibson (August 25, 1927 – September 28, 2003) was an American sportswoman who, on August 22, 1950, became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour and the first to win a 'grand slam' title in 1957. She is sometimes referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the "color barrier".

 

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