Celebrating Althea Gibson & 75 Years of Breaking Barriers at the 2025 US Open

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The US Open’s 2025 theme “Celebrating 75 Years of Breaking Barriers,” honored the historic moment Althea Gibson broke the color barrier in tennis at the US Open’s predecessor tournament (the U.S. National Singles Championships) in 1950. The theme celebrated Gibson’s legacy, educating fans about her impact and how much she contributed to the sport. But the theme also illustrated how much the US Open progressed in 75 years, reinforcing the US Open’s continued commitment to inclusion and access in tennis.

The theme was brought to life through a wide range of experiences, including on-site signage and installations, special ceremonies, partner activations, social media storytelling, editorial content, and global broadcast integrations to ensure fans onsite and virtually learned about Gibson’s strong character and how she paved the way for other players of color who played the game after her. 

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

The 2025 US Open theme and its focus on Althea Gibson set a new standard for engaging fans in a critical sport and historical moment. The campaign seamlessly blended sport, culture, and purpose into a fully integrated fan experience that engaged fans at every touchpoint. “Celebrating 75 Years of Breaking Barriers” transformed the tournament into a platform for storytelling by inviting fans to learn about the legacy of Althea Gibson while actively participating in the celebration of her impact and the USTA’s continued work to push tennis forward today. 

The USTA’s multi-platform engagement ecosystem, complete with bespoke theme art that served as the connective tissue for the campaign - relied on social media and editorial storytelling, as well as merchandise, partner activations, large-scale on-site installations, immersive in-stadium content, educational materials, entertainment and on the ground activities that blended sports with art and history. Fans didn’t just see the campaign; they experienced it in the lead-up to the tournament and the US Open itself.

By proving that purpose-driven storytelling can generate massive fan participation and global reach, the campaign establishes a new model for the industry, demonstrating that modern sports marketing succeeds when it connects strong storytelling, cultural impact and authentic narratives.

Objective

This year’s theme celebrated one of tennis’ greatest barrier breakers, Althea Gibson, who paved the way for countless players of the game who previously had no clear path into the sport. The campaign not only honored Gibson’s extraordinary career and influence, but also educated fans about her legacy and highlighted US tennis’ progress over the last 75 years.

By honoring Gibson’s impact, the campaign also celebrated the US Open’s longstanding role as a catalyst for progress in sport. The tournament has consistently been at the forefront of change, including its leadership on equality in tennis. Building on recent milestones - such as the 50th anniversary of equal prize money celebrated in 2023 - the “75 Years of Breaking Barriers” theme reinforced the US Open’s commitment to cultural innovation. By spotlighting Gibson’s story, the campaign advanced the conversation around diversity in tennis while reaffirming the USTA’s mission to make the sport more inclusive and accessible for all.

To bring the theme and these elements to life, the USTA relied on video storytelling, immersive grounds activities, special events such as HBCU Live, dynamic social media content, and educational materials distributed throughout the tournament that shone a light on Althea and her accomplishments.

Strategy & Execution

The USTA highlighted Althea Gibson via an integrated campaign that met modern sports fans where they are - blending storytelling, art, culture, and live experiences across digital, broadcast, and on-site environments.

Theme art created in collaboration with Melissa Koby, the tournament’s first Black theme artist, anchored the campaign. Constructed from layered paper and photographed for various campaign assets, the artwork incorporated powerful symbols from Gibson’s journey, including a tennis court, the US Open trophy, and the Statue of Liberty. The piece debuted on prominent national morning shows, then became the visual centerpiece of the campaign that appeared across social media, merchandise, marketing materials, grounds signage, and along the Blue Carpet.

To bring the theme to life on-site, the US Open integrated Gibson’s story throughout the tournament experience. A few examples include members of the Althea Gibson Foundation participating in ceremonial coin tosses and the marching band from Florida A&M University (Gibson’s alma mater) performing. Two video tributes - one from current players of color and another featuring voiceover from Venus Williams - were played on-site and distributed globally. Additionally, the theme art powered the tournament’s first-ever anamorphic LED in-stadium videos, creating immersive moments that connected fans to Gibson’s legacy in real time.

Organizations

• US Tennis Association

Featured

• Althea Gibson

Credits

Nicole Kankam
Managing Director, Pro Tennis Marketing & Entertainment
USTA

Carrie Ehorn
Director, Pro Tennis Marketing
USTA and US Open

Nicole Munroe
Director, Pro Tennis Marketing & Content
USTA

Namrita Singh
Senior Coordinator, US Open Marketing
USTA

Grace Schwartzstein
Marketing Manager, Pro Tennis Marketing
USTA

Kristom Parson
Manager, Onsite Branding
USTA

Andrew Hickcox
Senior Director Creative Services
USTA

Andrea DeMarco
Senior Designer, Creative Services,
USTA

Dave Dellinger
Manager, Creative Services
USTA

Matt Guerra
Senior Director, Video Services
USTA

Andrew Kaplan
Director, Video Services
USTA

Lisa Cradit
Managing Director, Head of Comms. & Content
USTA

Brendan McIntyre
Managing Director, Head of Pro and USA Tennis Comms and Content
USTA

Pat Mitsch
Director, Pro Tennis & Partnership Comms
USTA

Jonathan Zipper
Senior Director, Social Media
USTA and US Open

Alyssa Simonin
Senior Manager, Social Media Content
USTA and US Open

Andrew Robinson
Manager, Social Media Content
USTA

Mark Preston
Senior Director, Editor-In-Chief
USTA

Haley Fuller
Corporate Communications, Content Editor
USTA

Macy Alcido
Content Editor
USTA

Marisa Grimes
Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer
USTA

Janet Hanasik
Director, Employer Branding and Engagement
USTA