Interview with Katrina M. Adams
By Krista Martinelli
On Sunday, April 11th, tennis champion and tennis executive Katrina M. Adams gave a talk at the Wellington Tennis Center, followed by a book signing for her new book “Own the Arena: Getting Ahead, Making a Difference and Succeeding as the Only One.” Presented by the Village of Wellington and by new Wellington Director of Tennis Chuck Gill, it was a lovely event, complete with champagne and passed hors d’oeuvres.
In 1988, Katrina Adams and Zina Garrison were the Wimbledon semifinalists. The same year Adams reached her best Grand Slam singles result, losing to Chris Evert in the fourth round. She’s also the first black woman and the youngest person ever to hold the position of President, Chairman and CEO of the US Tennis Association. In her career after competing worldwide in tennis, she has become a familiar voice as a TV commentator for the Tennis Channel and CBS.
AW: Tell us as a world doubles champion, what doubles tennis has to offer people and what it can teach them.
KA: I love tennis, but I especially love playing doubles. It’s great to have a partner on your side – someone I can laugh with, high-five with and have a great overall experience with. In doubles, you socialize, strategize, and most importantly, have fun.
AW: What or who inspired you to rise to the top in tennis and become the President, Chairman and CEO of the U.S. Tennis Association?
KA: I was initially inspired in tennis just by having the opportunity to play. I had many coaches who inspired me and offered tennis coaching either for free or relatively inexpensively for my family. My parents didn’t play tennis; they didn’t force me to play tennis. I competed because I wanted to compete. Through that journey (I played at every level), and I started to understand what the sport offered. Later on, I had the opportunity to give back and focus on the next generation for the sport.
AW: How are women getting to a point of gender equality in the sport of tennis? And how are African Americans rising to the top in tennis?
KA: Tennis is an equal opportunity sport. From a competitive standpoint, I think the quality is definitely there when you compare men’s and women’s tennis. The International Tennis Federation says that 6 million plus girls and 6 million plus boys enter the sport each year. So, it’s important that we are engaging our women in the leadership of tennis. I believe we have only 21% of tennis coaches as female coaches. We need female coaches as role models. And we need more women tennis directors. It provides more diversity of thought at the leadership level, a different approach to the business perspective. We also need more women in leadership in these positions to share their experiences and their thought processes, embracing all. I believe that women in leadership tend to be more inclusive, which ultimately allows people to engage more.
On the women’s side, black women are rising to the top in tennis. Look at the achievements of Serena and Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys and Naomi Osaka, for example. And 13 out of 20 main draw competitors at the 2020 US Open were women of color.
We’re still behind on the men’s side. Donald Young is still out there. Nicholas Monroe plays primarily doubles and is approaching 40, still playing very competitively. And our young American guys on the ATP Tour are Frances Tiafoe, Michael Mmoh and Chris Eubanks. We need more African American men in tennis.
AW: What do you mean by “Own the Arena,” the title of your book? And what’s the best way to “Own the Arena” in one’s daily life?
KA: The arena can be any space that you’re in – your office, your home, the board room. It’s a sports-related play on words. I was always told, ‘Kat – wherever you go, you own the room.’ I interpret this to mean that my presence is powerful. Your arena can be wherever you want it to be, but it’s going into that arena with confidence, with courage, with a voice that makes a difference. I talk about succeeding as the “only one” – how to succeed as the only woman in an arena, or as the only person of color in the room. When I’m in an arena, it’s my responsibility to own my voice, representing a culture of people in that moment. These are lessons I hope that people will take away from the book.
AW: What are some obstacles that you’re proud to have overcome?
KA: I encounter obstacles every day – I find that almost every day I’m fighting to be heard as the only woman in the room. I serve on several boards as the only woman. Being in a room with 8 other men, I can make a comment and another (male) board member, says “Hmmm, thank you for sharing your wisdom. I never thought of it that way.” I explain it to him, “Because you’re not a woman.” Something my male readers will understand when reading my book is why it’s important to have diversity of thought.
AW: Any advice for young tennis players?
KA: I work with juniors every day. It’s all about working hard and having fun. You have to strive to be the best that you can be. If you worry about expectations from others, it puts a lot of pressure on you to always do more. We want our players to stay with tennis for a lifetime, not just for a season. If approached properly in the first place, we can be there, playing tennis for a lifetime.
AW: Who are your favorite female tennis players today? And male tennis players?
KA: Of course, Serena is the greatest of all time. And Naomi Osaki. Ashleigh Barty from Australia, currently world number one. As for young players, I like to watch Caty McNally. I love her game, style and energy. Jen Brady is definitely a bright light and Coca Gauff (who comes from Delray Beach, FL) – she’s definitely a champion of the future.
On the men’s side, obviously Roger Federer. I love his demeanor, his professionalism, his craft, his whole approach. I admire the game styles of Djokovic and Nadal. And the grit of Rublev.
I’m also impressed with Felix Auger-Aliassime, a young black man from Canada. He’s very crafty around the court. As for the younger players to watch, there’s Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz, both American players.
AW: What was your most challenging tennis match or match that you’re most proud of?
KA: I’ve had the fortune of playing Chris Evert, Steffi Graf, Jennifer Capriati and many other number one players. I really enjoyed playing Graf, even though I lost two times against her. And my loss against Chris Evert was a turning point in my career, helping me to understand what I needed to do to be a better professional. You learn from your losses, more than your wins.
Beating the number one combination of Martina Navratilova/Pam Shriver was a definite highlight in doubles.
AW: What do you try to bring to your audience as a commentator on the Tennis Channel?
KA: I try to bring knowledge about the player, about their tactics, about their strategy. I try to bring in experiences I might have had. I want to be informative and not overbearing. I like to be jovial (but not sarcastic) in many instances. Also, you have to keep it simple in that some people might be watching tennis for the very first time.
AW: Tell us about your family.
KA: My parents were both teachers who truly sacrificed to provide me with the opportunities I had in the sport. I have three older brothers. One was the owner of McDonald’s restaurants in the Indianapolis area. The other two are in Las Vegas – one is a Jack of all trades, while the other is in the mortuary services business.
AW: You said, “A badass woman unapologetically voices her opinion for change,” she says. “She leads others behind her — then pulls them forward too.” (In Style Magazine). Who are some badass women that you consider your heroes/sheroes?
KA: Billie Jean King is the biggest badass that we all know. She’s a great friend, a mentor and a leader. She is about actions, not just words. I’m hoping to duplicate that in many ways going forward. Stacey Allaster, former CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and currently the USTA Chief of Professional Tennis is another badass, the first female US Open tournament director. “She really walks the talk.”
Beyond tennis, Madame Vice President Kamala Harris is the biggest badass right now. She’s phenomenal, inspiring, motivating. I’m hoping to exemplify these qualities in my field.
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For a copy of “Own the Arena” by Katrina M. Adams, visit Amazon. Copies are also available at the Wellington Tennis Center.