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There can never be enough written about Althea Gibson if you ask our own Julie Wrege. That’s why she can’t wait to read the new book Althea: The Life of Tennis Champion Althea Gibson by Sally H. Jacobs.

Wrege had the privilege of getting to know Gibson on and off the court.

“My experience playing Althea was, in a word, ‘magical,’” Wrege said. “My tennis professional for five years prior to playing Althea was the great James (Jim) Leighton. If anyone took lessons from him for any length of time, you really became a student of the game -- and I was certainly one. He made you love studying the mechanics of all strokes. So when I played Althea, I was mesmerized by her perfection of all strokes -- but especially her service and volleys.

“I only won one game in that match, the first one that I served. Then, Althea served. Her service placement was spot on, and I was aced twice in that game. But the shots that I remember the most were her volleys -- they were balletic-like. I would urge anyone who can view videos of Althea to watch -- and just enjoy her "ballet of tennis.’

“Some 30 years later while I was President of the USTA Georgia Tennis Association, I arranged for Althea to give a junior clinic in Atlanta at Washington Park. When we were traveling from the airport to the park, we reminisced about her marvelous career. I was bold enough to ask her about our match back in the '50s -- asking her if she gave me that first game in the match. Her reply is one I will cherish forever -- she said, ‘Darling, I never give the first game. You really deserved that one!’

“I believe that Althea was the true pioneer when it comes to women's tennis. Not many women can say that they won 11 Grand Slam titles between 1956 and 1958.”

The new Althea book is scheduled to be released on August 15th. To purchase the book, go to https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250246554/althea

Book Details (via the publisher)

In 1950, three years after Jackie Robinson first walked onto the diamond at Ebbets Field, the all-white, upper-crust US Lawn Tennis Association opened its door just a crack to receive a powerhouse player who would integrate "the game of royalty." The player was a street-savvy young Black woman from Harlem named Althea Gibson who was about as out-of-place in that rarefied and intolerant world as any aspiring tennis champion could be. Her tattered jeans and short-cropped hair drew stares from everyone who watched her play, but her astonishing performance on the court soon eclipsed the negative feelings being cast her way as she eventually became one of the greatest American tennis champions.

Gibson had a stunning career. Raised in New York and trained by a pair of tennis-playing doctors in the South, Gibson’s immense talent on the court opened the door for her to compete around the world. She won top prizes at Wimbledon and Forest Hills time and time again. The young woman underestimated by so many wound up shaking hands with Queen Elizabeth II, being driven up Broadway in a snowstorm of ticker tape, and ultimately became the first Black woman to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the second to appear on the cover of Time. In a crowning achievement, Althea Gibson became the No. One ranked female tennis player in the world for both 1957 and 1958. Seven years later she broke the color barrier again where she became the first Black woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA).

In Althea, prize-winning former Boston Globe reporter Sally H. Jacobs tells the heart-rending story of this pioneer, a remarkable woman who was a trailblazer, a champion, and one of the most remarkable Americans of the twentieth century.

PLAUDITS

“A captivating book that brilliantly reveals an American sports legend long overlooked. Sally Jacobs tells the riveting story of Althea Gibson, my personal shero, who overcame daunting odds – on the tennis court and off - to stand at the world pinnacle of her sport and became an inspiration to many.” — Billie Jean King

"Althea was truly a multi-hyphenate before that term came to be. Her name has often been listed in conversations about trailblazers and greats, but she was, in fact, one of one. As an African American female tennis player who won the US Open 60 years after Althea won the US Nationals, I recognize the opportunities this sport has provided me thanks to the courageous life of Althea Gibson. I was captivated by this book and by the historical context of Althea's achievements, her challenges, and ultimately her determination both on and off the court.” — Sloane Stephens

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About Rhiannon Potkey

Rhiannon Potkey is a veteran sportswriter with more than two decades of experience in journalism. Potkey has covered many sports at many levels and has a passion for finding great stories. Potkey has covered the U.S. Open, junior sectional and national events, college conference championships and Davis Cup matches. Potkey is currently Content Strategist for Tennis Recruiting. You can reach Rhiannon by email at [email protected].