Tiafoe reflects on Althea Gibson's legacy: 'I want to pay it forward'

ATP Tour

Tiafoe reflects on Althea Gibson's legacy: 'I want to pay it forward'

American pays tribute to Gibson, who broke tennis' colour barrier in 1950

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images Frances Tiafoe is a two-time semi-finalist at the US Open. By Arthur Kapetanakis

As the US Open celebrates the 75th anniversary of Althea Gibson breaking tennis' colour barrier at the 1950 U.S. National Championships, Frances Tiafoe is among many Black tennis stars eager to continue her legacy.

After his second-round win on Wednesday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Tiafoe reflected on how Gibson paved the way for him and many of his peers.

"It's incredible. What a legend, man," he said, noting how Gibson set the stage for the likes of the Williams sisters, 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens and 2023 winner Coco Gauff, among others.

"[Althea] was a true leader and an incredible person. Her and Arthur [Ashe], man," the American continued. "So I've got hella love for both, and I wish I could be saying that to them personally, but obviously the circumstances... But man, if they're over there watching us, I hope they're smiling over us, because we're doing some great stuff with that small opportunity [they gave us]."

Tiafoe also referenced Canadian teen Victoria Mboko, who won her first WTA 1000 title three weeks ago in Montreal. Answering a question about the growing African-American presence in tennis, Tiafoe explained what it means to him to be the son of Sierra Leonean immigrants.

"For me, I sit in a different spot with it. Obviously, at the end of the day, yes, I'm African-American, but I'm African, right, and African-raised," he shared. "So seeing someone like Mboko and Felix [Auger-Aliassime] and myself, Clervie [Ngounoue], that's a whole different beast. You've got parents that are coming to try to make these kids' lives, give them a chance better than they had. So I understand that, being the son of immigrants.

"Ultimately, to be able to see so many people of colour do great things in a predominantly white sport, it's tremendous. I think that brings unbelievable diversity to the game. I think that brings a totally different demographic for the game. I'm happy to be a small ounce of that, and young guys are looking up to me and wanting to be like that.

"Obviously I had a ton of great examples before me and will have a bunch of people come after me. So I'm happy to be a part of it in my prime and see it grow and can't wait to continue to see where it goes.

"African-Americans in tennis, we're at an all-time high right now. I mean, totally killing it."

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