Arthur Ashe to Serena Williams: 6 Black American Tennis Stars Who Shaped US Open History

Inspired by Ben Shelton’s 2026 US Open final, this article celebrates six Black American singles champions: Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens and Coco Gauff, whose triumphs broke barriers.

Shelton on the Brink of Creating History

The World No.8 and American tennis star Ben Shelton has inched closer to clinching his maiden Grand Slam title following his US Open 2026 semifinal victory over his compatriot Frances Tiafoe - 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 - at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, September 12.

With this, Shelton became the first Black American tennis player since Arthur Ashe in 1972 to reach the final of the US Open, putting himself on the brink of scripting a historic feat when he takes on Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the title clash at the same venue named after the legendary trailblazer himself, Arthur Ashe.

On that note, let’s take a look at six Black American tennis players who won singles’ titles in the history of the US Open.

1. Arthur Ashe

The former commissioned officer in the United States Army became a legendary figure in American tennis history, breaking barriers as the first Black American male player to win a Grand Slam title.

Ashe achieved this historic feat when he outlasted the Netherlands' Tom Okker in a gruelling five-set final at Forest Hills to claim the inaugural Open Era US Open title in 1968. In fact, the legendary tennis player was the first African American to win a Grand Slam title in the Open Era.

Apart from his US Open triumph, Ashe also won the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975, cementing an iconic legacy both on and off the court.

2. Althea Gibson

Before Arthur Ashe’s name was etched in tennis immortality, there was another Black American player who shattered the sport's highest barriers. Althea Gibson became the face of excellence in the 1950s, rising from the segregated public courts of Harlem to rewrite the record books.

The legendary player won back-to-back US National Championships (now the US Open) singles titles in 1957 and 1958, cementing an unmatched legacy of grace, power, and perseverance, and forever altering the trajectory of the sport as a global icon.

She also won the Wimbledon titles in 1957 and 1958 and the French Open in 1956 (the first-ever Black American tennis player to win a Grand Slam title), completing a dominant run of five major singles titles that permanently altered the trajectory of the sport.

3. Serena Williams

Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson might have broken barriers for Black American tennis players, but Serena Williams took that legacy to an unprecedented level. The legendary player dominated the US Open across more than two decades, winning six singles titles between 1999 and 2014.

After winning her maiden US Open triumph in 1999 at the age of 17, Serena Williams won five more titles in 2002, 2008, 2012, 2013, and 2014, making her the first Black American tennis player to win five or more titles at Flushing Meadows, cementing her status as one of the greatest athletes in sporting history.

Apart from five US Open titles, Williams clinched seven titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, and four French Open crowns, bringing her staggering career total to 23 Grand Slam singles titles, the most by any female player in the Open Era.

4. Venus Williams

Serena Williams’ sister, Venus Williams, is equally accomplished as a transformative force in the sport, cementing her own legacy despite being the younger sister of the older sister and a pioneer in her own right by becoming the first Black American tennis player to become the World No.1 in the Open Era.

Venus clinched two back-to-back US Open triumphs in 2000 and 2001, making her the first Black American tennis player to win two consecutive titles at a Grand Slam in the history of the Open Era, a feat that cemented her family’s absolute dominance at Flushing Meadows at the turn of the millennium.

Apart from the US Open titles, Venus Williams won five Wimbledon titles, bringing her total major haul to seven singles crowns, further solidifying her status alongside her sister as one of the twin pillars of modern tennis history.

5. Sloane Stephens

As the Williams sisters dominated the turn of the millennium, a new generation of American talent emerged to carry the torch at Flushing Meadows, led powerfully by Sloane Stephens. Many believed that after Serena and Venus, there would not be another transcendent talent ready to capture New York.

In 2017, Sloane Stephens shattered those doubts entirely. Ranking outside the top 900 before entering the US Open, Stephens managed to reach the final, where she delivered a masterclass in poise and precision, defeating her compatriot Madison Keys in two straight sets to lift her first Grand Slam trophy in front of a home crowd.

With this, Stephens etched her name into the storied history of American tennis, ensuring that legacy of excellence by a Black American tennis player at Flushing Meadows would endure for generations to come.

6. Coco Gauff

The rising American tennis star Coco Gauff has quickly established herself as one of the most electric and beloved figures in the modern game, bringing the legacy of Black excellence at the US Open full circle.

Gauff joined Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Sloane Stephens to cement her place among the legends who built the sport in the United States, capturing her maiden Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in 2023, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.

Apart from the US Open triumph, Gauff became the third Black American player after Althea Gibson and Serena Williams to win the French Open in 2025, adding yet another historic major title to her burgeoning resume.