Former USTA President Katrina Adams honored by IOC for diversity and inclusion efforts

Former USTA President Katrina Adams was honored by the International Olympic Committee on Friday with the IOC Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Champions Award in honor of her work championing diversity in tennis.

The USTA’s first Black president from 2015-18, as well the first former touring pro to hold the positon, Adams was selected as the award’s global honoree for 2023, alongside five regional honorees, in “recognition of her outstanding contribution across the areas of participation, leadership, portrayal and resource allocation,” the IOC said. IOC president Thomas Bach hailed Adams’ commitment to advancing equity—which includes her work subsequent to the USTA as the vice president of the International Tennis Federation and its Advantage All program, which promotes the development of women in tennis coaching, officiating, and administration—and as a leader who’s gone “above and beyond” in pursuit of making lasting change.  

“She has done outstanding work to improve opportunities through sport for girls, women, ethnic minorities and disadvantaged youth,” Bach added. “She continues to raise standards and truly deserves to be celebrated.”

In her career, Adams has taken inspiration from, and action on, Billie Jean King’s famous mantra: "You have to see it to be it.” In her time as USTA chairman, Adams was instrumental in supporting several of the organization’s initiatives to cultivate a more inclusive sport; tennis participation in the U.S. increased 15% amongst Hispanic players, for example, during her tenure. In her role with the ITF, she served not only as the leading architect of the Advantage All program, but a living example of what the program has set out to accomplish.

“There has always been someone who reached out to pull me forward, and paying that forward has been at the forefront of everything I do,” Adams told usta.com in the aftermath of Friday’s announcement, which was made in conjunction with International Women's Day. “On the court, if I couldn’t get better, I wasn’t playing. Off the court, I have the same mentality. Anytime that I step out on any platform where people are watching and listening, I try to impact change at all times.

“We talk about women getting involved in tennis on the court, or on the field in whatever their sport is—and it’s also crucial to see them in the business, on the committees, in the administration of how sport can change and move forward.

“To be recognized by an organization like the IOC is humbling, but it also makes me feel like I am being seen and being heard. It only energizes me going forward.”