Kathleen Wu Honored at US Open ‘Champions of Equality’ event

The US Open’s inaugural ‘Champions of Equality’ event, a celebration of the fight for equality and the pioneering women who have led the way, saw formal honors bestowed on tennis’ foremost trailblazers at both the professional and grassroots levels.

Among those honored, were non other than Texas' very own General Counsel head Kathleen Wu, a lawyer with 30-plus years of litigation experience, she first joined the USTA Foundation's board in 2015, was elected vice president in 2018, and served as USTA Foundation President in 2021.

The 'Champions of Equality' also honored Billie Jean King with the night’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the iconic Venus Williams received the first US Open Billie Jean King Champion of Equality Award and 16 other women were nominated from the USTA Sections to be honored with their own Champion of Equality awards for their contributions at the grassroots level put toward the ongoing effort of leveling the playing field for all. 

A ‘Be Open’ event presented by Cadillac – who also sponsored the broadcast of the iconic Battle of the Sexes match in 1973 – Champions of Equality featured a dynamic conversation with King and Williams, tennis' trailblazers who have been at the forefront of the fight for equal pay, alongside Telva McGruder, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at General Motors, and award-winning broadcast journalist Christiane Amanpour, who moderated.

To access and download video from the evening: Click Here

The full list of USTA Section honorees:

USTA Section ‘Champions of Equality’

USTA Eastern Lorraine Rohlsen-Alexander

USTA Florida Dana Andrews

USTA Hawaii Pacific Madeleine Dreith

USTA Intermountain Glen Alex

USTA Mid-Atlantic Brenda Gilmore

USTA Middle States Nancy Wilkins

USTA Midwest Joy Albi

USTA Missouri Valley Kim Hughes Gill

USTA New England Judy Dixon

USTA Northern Dr. Nicole Lavoi

USTA Northern California Andrea Barnes

USTA Pacific Northwest Shalini Hanstad

USTA Southern Beth Hopkins

USTA Southern California Doris Obi

USTA Texas Kathleen Wu

USTA Southwest Leslie Banks