KATRINA ADAMS
Born: August 5, 1968, Chicago, Ill.
Current residence: White Plains, N.Y.
- Began serving a second consecutive two-year term as a Director at Large on the USTA Board of Directors in January 2007... Is also on the Board of Directors for the USTA Tennis and Education Foundation
- Played for 12 years on the WTA Tour, where she was ranked as high as No. 67 in singles and No. 8 in doubles... Captured 20 career doubles titles
- While a player, served on the WTA Tour’s Board of Directors as a player representative for four one-year terms and on the WTA Tour’s Players Association for five two-year terms... She also served on the WTA Tour’s Anti-Doping Committee, Players Committee, Executive Committee and Special Olympics Committee.
- Was honored with the WTA’s Player Service Award in 1996 and 1997.
- After her retirement from the pro tour, served from 1999-2002 as a USTA National Coach for the USTA Tennis High Performance program, where she helped to develop some of the nation’s top players.
- Has been active in several non-profit organizations, including the Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis Academy, the MaliVai Washington Foundation and the Althea Gibson Foundation, for whom Adams serves as a spokeswoman... Is also the Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program in New York.
- Currently works as a color analyst for The Tennis Channel, a position she has held since the network debuted in 2003.
- Attended Northwestern University as an undergraduate, majoring in Communications, and helped the Wildcats to Big Ten Championships in 1986 and 1987... Was an NCAA All-American in 1986 and 1987 and became the first African-American NCAA Doubles Champion in 1987.
- A Chicago native, Adams was inducted into the Northwestern Hall of Fame in 1998 and the USTA Midwest Section Hall of Fame in 2005.
- Started playing tennis at age six in the public parks recreation program sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Boys Club
LESLIE ALLEN
Born: March 12, 1957, Cleveland, Ohio
Current residence: New York, N.Y.
- Founder/Director of Champion 4 Life, an organization dedicated to mentoring and exposing inner-city youth to new environments and opportunities and, through tennis, expanding their lives
- Former tournament director for the U.S. Women’s Hardcourt Championships, 1994-95… Kraft World Tour event manager for the WTA Tour, 1990-93
- In 1981, became the first black woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to win a notable title by defeating Hana Mandlikova in the final of the Avon Championships of Detroit… won five pro championships in 10-year career as a player (1 singles, 4 doubles)
- Elected vice president of WITA Board of Directors for 1982-83 term and again for 1983-84.
Was member of the USC NCAA championship team - Won the American Tennis Association national championship in 1977
CAMILLE BENJAMIN
Born: June 22, 1966
Current residence: Bakersville, Calif.
- Teaches tennis in California
- In 1984 at the French Open, became the first African-American woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to reach the semifinals at one of the four major championships...quarterfinalist in doubles at the same tournament
- Nation’s No. 1 junior girl in the 16-and-under age group in 1981...ranked No. 6 in national 14-and-under rankings in 1980…ranked No. 6 in national 12-and-under rankings in 1978.
- Both parents originally came from Panama, where Camille’s grandparents helped build the Panama Canal
MEGAN BRADLEY
Born: March 26, 1983, in Columbia, Mo.
Resides in Miami, Fla.
- Reached career-high rankings in both singles (No. 313) and doubles (No. 221) in 2006.
- After graduating from the University of Miami in May 2005, competed regularly on the USTA Pro Circuit. Her 2005 results included capturing the singles title at the $10,000 event in South Lake, Texas, and advancing to the quarterfinals at the $75,000 event in Tucson as a qualifier.
- Ended the 2004-05 season ranked No. 1 in the ITA national singles rankings and No. 6 in doubles (with Audrey Banada) at Miami... Graduated with a degree in Sports Administration.
- Was named the ITA National Player and Senior Player of the Year, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and the ACC/UM Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year... Was also named the Most Outstanding Student in the School of Education's Sports Administration Program and was a UM graduation commencement speaker. Graduated with a 3.50 cumulative grade point average and was selected to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team for District III.
- Earned All-America honors in both singles and doubles her senior year... Turned in a 44-2 record her senior year in 2004-05, a UM single season record, highlighted by a 39-match win streak that lasted from Oct. 8 until May 24. She lost just three sets during the win streak.
- Was named to the 2005 USA Tennis Collegiate Summer Team, an elite training program for the top American collegiate tennis players.
- Captured the singles title at the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in November 2004 – is the second African American woman to win a national singles title (joining California’s Raquel Kops-Jones).
- Reached the NCAA singles semifinals in 2003 as a junior.
- Is a two-time ITA All-American.
- Reached the NCAA doubles final as a freshman at UCLA in 2002 and was named ITA National Rookie of the Year.
- Is a former No. 1 in the country in the girls' 18s division (2001) and girls’ 16 division (1999).
- Won the doubles title (with Erin Burdette) at the 2001 USTA Super National Hard Court Championships, defeating Jamea Jackson and Allison Baker in the final, 6-1, 6-2, to earn the duo a wild card into the women’s doubles event at the US Open; reached the semifinals in singles, losing to Baker, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5).
- Won the Girls’ 18s singles title at the USTA Super National Spring Championships - Easter Bowl, defeating Tanner Cochran in the final, 6-1, 6-3, and Jamea Jackson in the semifinal, 6-4, 6-0.
- Performed well on the grass-court portion of the 2000 ITF World Junior Ranking Circuit… Advanced through qualifying at Eastbourne (l. first round), Roehampton (reached quarterfinals) and Wimbledon (l. second round).
- Won the girls’ 16s title at the 1999 Easter Bowl and USTA National Championships.
- Represented the United States at the 1999 World Youth Cup, the 16-and-under equivalent of Fed Cup.
- Father, Phil, played major league baseball for seven years and was the first African-American quarterback at the University of Missouri.
ZINA GARRISON
Born: November 16, 1963, Houston, Texas
Current Residence: Houston, Texas
- Debuted as the U.S. Fed Cup captain in 2003, succeeding Billie Jean King, and has led the team to one runner-up and three semifinal finishes in her four-year tenure as captain, reaching the semifinals the last two years... Is the 18th U.S. Fed Cup captain since the competition began in 1963 and the first African-American captain in the competition’s history.
- As a player, Garrison competed for the United States in Fed Cup for eight years (1984-87, 1989-91, 1994), posting a 22-5 record (7-4 singles, 15-1 doubles) in 23 ties
- Elected to serve on the USTA Board of Directors for the 2002-2003 term
- Served as assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team in Sydney, Australia, and helped Coach Billie Jean King guide Venus Williams to gold-medal performances in women’s singles and doubles with sister Serena Williams
- Served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Fed Cup team, and in 1999, helped Captain Billie Jean King lead the team to a record 16th Fed Cup championship in this premier international team competition. Also served as assistant coach in the team's championship run in 2000, as the U.S. won the Fed Cup for a 17th time
- Retired from a 15-year career on the professional tour in 1996… Won 37 pro championships (14 singles, 20 doubles, 3 mixed doubles)
- In 1990 at Wimbledon, became the first African-American woman to reach the final of one of the four major championships of tennis since Althea Gibson won Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships in 1958… Defeated Monica Seles and Steffi Graf in succession before losing to Martina Navratilova in the final. (No African-American woman reached a major championship final again until Venus Williams in 1997 at the US Open.)
- Became the first African-American to win an Olympic tennis medal when she captured the gold medal in doubles (with Pam Shriver) and the bronze medal in singles at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea
- Founded the Zina Garrison Foundation to provide funds and support for the homeless, youth organizations, anti-drug groups and other charitable groups… Founded the Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis program to give inner-city children the opportunity to build self-esteem and learn about themselves through tennis
- Awarded the Tennis Educational Merit Award by the board of directors of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993… Received the inaugural Family Circle Magazine Player Who Makes a Difference Award in 1992
- Won the Wimbledon and US Open junior singles titles in 1981, the only American to do so.
- Began playing tennis at age 10, and was the first black female to be ranked No. 1 in the Texas region
CHERYL JONES
Born: May 3, 1964
Current residence: Los Angeles, Calif.
- Is one-half of an incomparable intercollegiate brother-sister tandem
- Was a member of the 1984 USC team that was runner-up in the NCAA Team Championships and was No. 2 in the college rankings… Brother, Jerome, was an All-American at Pepperdine University in 1984 and won the NCAA doubles title with Kelly Jones (no relation)
LORI McNEIL
Born: December 18, 1963, San Diego, Calif.
Current residence: Houston, Texas
- Is a National Coach for women's tennis on the USTA Player Development staff in Boca Raton, Fla.
- Played 19 years on the WTA tour (1984-2002), reaching a career-high singles ranking of No. 9 in the summer of 1988.
- Won 42 WTA titles during her career (10 singles, 32 doubles), as well as the mixed doubles title (with Lozano) at the French Open in 1988.
- Coached former doubles partner Amanda Coetzer (ranked No. 25 at end of 2003)
- Was a member of the U.S. Wightman Cup Team from 1987-89, the U.S. Fed Cup Team in 1988-89 and 1992-93, and the U.S. Junior Fed Cup Team in 1983.
- In 1994 at Wimbledon, became the first woman to beat the defending champion of one of the four major championships in the first round when she upset No. 1 Steffi Graf, 7-5, 7-6
SHADISHA ROBINSON
Born: July 12, 1985, in New York City
Resides in Boca Raton, Fla.
- Competed at the University of Georgia, where she majored in communications.
- In the 2004-05 season, earned All-America honors in singles and doubles and a final ITA national ranking of No. 1 in doubles with Caroline Basu... Posted a school record 28-4 mark with Basu after being paired together in January.
- In 2005, went 32-15 in singles and was ranked as high as a career-best fourth nationally.
- Helped lead ninth-ranked Georgia to the 2005 NCAA quarterfinals and a final record of 18-8... Won the Ole Miss Classic, the UNLV Invitational and was a finalist at the ITA Southern Regionals.
- In 2004, Robinson and the Bulldogs reached the NCAA quarterfinals.
- Reached three singles finals in 2003-04 in tournament play, winning two titles.
- Earned ITA All-America honors during the 2003-04 season as a freshman in doubles. Finished at No. 31 in singles rankings.
- Was awarded a wild card into the 2003 US Open qualifying draw.
- Was ranked among the top 10 U.S. junior players from 1999-2003, including as high as No. 2 in the USTA girls' 14s in 2000, No. 4 in the USTA girls' 16s in 2001 and No. 9 in the USTA girls' 18s in 2002.
- Reached the final in doubles (with Tory Zawacki) at the 2002 US Open Junior Championships.
- Reached the round of 16 at the 2002 Australian Hardcourt Junior Championships.
- Finished runner-up in singles and reached the semifinals in doubles (with Nina Brattchikova of Russia) at the 2001 Prince Cup.
- Advanced to the singles and doubles semifinals at the 2001 Chanda Rubin North/Central American & Caribbean Closed Championships.
- Won the doubles title (with Ally Baker ) at the 2001 Kentucky International Junior Tennis Derby.
- Moved to Florida to train at the Evert Academy from South Ozone Park, N.Y., in January 2000.
- Represented the United States in the 1999 World Junior Tennis competition, the ITF's official team championship for junior players 14-and-under.
- Won the 1999 USTA Girls’ 14s National Clay Court Championship.
- Won the 1999 USTA Girls 14s National Indoor Doubles title with Jessi Robinson (no relation).
- Lost in the final of the 1999 Girls’ 14s Championship at the Ascuncion Bowl in Paraguay to compatriot Theresa Logar, 6-4, 6-4.
- Won the doubles title at the 1998 USTA National Girls’ 14s Indoor Championship.
KIM SANDS
Born: Oct. 11, 1956
Current residence: Miami, Fla.
- Teaches tennis in the Miami area
- Played professionally in the late 1970s through early 1980s… Achieved a career-best ranking of No. 44 in April 1984
- Sponsored on pro tour by former heavyweight boxing champion Leon Spinks
- First African-American woman to receive a scholarship to the University of Miami, where she was captain of the tennis team
CAROL WATSON
Born: July 5, 1961
Current residence: St. Albans, N.Y.
- Retired from coaching tennis and is now owner of Shapes, a circuit fitness studio specifically designed for women, in New York.
- Served as a USA Tennis National Coach at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing, N.Y., working with 14-and-under junior girls
- Began serving on the USTA national coaching staff since 1993
- Ranked in the top 180 in the world in singles and the top 130 in the world in doubles from 1979-81