Althea Gibson sculpture pays tribute to a legend

On Monday, Day 1 at the US Open and Women's Equality Day, a statue of Althea Gibson was unveiled in Flushing Meadows. Placed just outside Arthur Ashe stadium, the sculpture—created by Eric Goulder–pays tribute to one of the most important trailblazers in the sport.

"The whole sculpture reads from left to right," Goulder said. "So things were this way. Then there is the shift... Things were brewing in the world that would allow her to do what she did. She didn't just break the color barrier. She became the best in the world. This was at a time when people were like, black people can't play tennis."

Gibson was a five-time Grand Slam champion (including two US Open titles) and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1957. But more than that, she paved the way for black women in sports, including inspiring Venus and Serena Williams.

"So she emerges out of that cube, box," Goulder said. "Her shoulder is exposed because that's the shoulder that everybody since has stood on. And then the remaining box that has her quote on it, as you see, it's still back down there but it's shifted because unfortunately the world hasn't totally changed. She disrupted it and it's never been the same and it never will be."

In 1956, she became the first black player to win a Grand Slam, and in 1957 she won her first US Open—six years after she was finally allowed to compete in New York (it was then called the US Nationals). Support from the American Tennis Association and Alice Marble helped Gibson break the color barrier at white-only clubs.

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Billie Jean King, another crucial ambassador for women's tennis, gave the speech on Monday at the statue unveiling.

"I think it's really important for people to know about Althea Gibson. Not only who she is but what she represented to all of us," King told press after the ceremony. "I know I'm a white girl, but as a 13-year-old, she totally inspired me, and that can happen to anybody. Doesn't matter what color."

The ceremony was held in front of an audience filled with famous faces including Christiane Amanpour, Katrina Adams, Sloane Stephens and former players Chanda Rubin, Zina Garrison, Angela Buxton and Leslie Allen.

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King did her best to put her finger on why Gibson wasn't recognized earlier (Gibson passed away in 2003 and would have celebrated her 92nd birthday on Sunday).

"As women, we do not get the same respect. We do not. We still do not," King said. "And if you're a person of color, I can't imagine what you go through each day. It's exhausting. But we can talk about what didn't happen, but what has happened is what's important, and we finally have gotten over the finish line."

It's safe to say that the sculpture has finally found its perfect home at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

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