In 1942 she won her first tournament, which was sponsored by the American Tennis Association (ATA), an organization founded by African American players. The first African American player to break into tennis was Althea Gibson, pictured above, who became the first person of color to win a Grand Slam when she won the French Open in 1956.

The young Althea Gibson became a member of the Harlem Cosmopolitan Tennis Club, a club for African American players, through donations raised for her membership and lessons.By 1942 Gibson had won the girls' singles event at the American Tennis … Women's Tennis Remembering the First Pair of African-American Sisters to Take Tennis by Storm ... like so many other talented African-American tennis players, remained on the ATA tour.

A quick look at the black tennis juniors already making a name for themselves. Gibson won American Tennis Association (ATA) women’s singles tournament ten years in a row, 1947 through 1956. She has won five titles on the WTA Tour, including two titles at both the Grand Slam … The player to beat on the women… 1920- During the Summer Olympics, France's Suzanne Lenglen abandoned the customary tennis garb for a short, pleated skirt, sleeveless silk blouse, and matching sweater. The official website of the Women's Tennis Association. Rankings, live scores and more! As a teenager she played her first tennis tournament under the American Tennis Association, the first-ever African-American sports organization.

She was then the first female … Biography.com explores the life and career of Arthur Ashe, from becoming the first African-American male player to win the U.S. Open and Wimbledon, to his work creating AIDS awareness. Gibson’s career began on the streets of Harlem where she learned to play paddle tennis and soon after became the New York City women’s champion. She was the first person of color to win a Grand Slam tournament when she won the French Open in 1956. Althea Gibson was the first African American international tennis player. In 1947 she captured the ATA’s women’s singles championship, which she would hold for 10 consecutive years.

1 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles.

Naomi Osaka (大坂 なおみ Japanese pronunciation: [o̞ːsäkä näo̞mʲi], Ōsaka Naomi, born October 16, 1997) is a professional tennis player who represents Japan.

Osaka has been ranked No. She then was the first female African-American national champion in sports.