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0 Former President of the United States Tennis Association (USTA), Katrina Adams, has expressed her excitement about the opportunity to engage tennis stakeholders in Ghana and to offer training sessions for tennis athletes as part of her trip to the country.
Speaking at the opening session of the Tennis Clinic in Accra, organized by the A10 Africa Tennis Foundation in partnership with the Ghana Tennis Federation (GTF), Adams noted that, “it’s really exciting, because when we just saw Coco Gauff winning in Paris and we had Madison Keyes winning in Australia, people who look like us — it’s exciting,” Adams said.
“And Francis Kiyofo, Ben Chilton, and Hayley Baptiste going deep in Roland Garros — exciting times. So hopefully our kids are getting excited about wanting to be in tennis.”
She underscored the need to extend this enthusiasm globally, especially in Ghana. “I know we are in America, and hopefully they are [getting excited] in the rest of the world, and particularly here in Ghana,” she added.
Adams, who is headlining the two-day event along with former Bahamian tennis star Roger Smith, said the goal of the clinic was to inspire and energize young players and their coaches through interaction, training, and mentorship.
“We’re excited to be here to be able to motivate the kids here in Ghana, because as it’s been said, we have to see it to believe it,” she noted.
“Hopefully these kids are able to see it, believe it, and want to be inspired by it.”
“So we’re bringing that energy here this weekend, and hopefully the kids will feel that energy in the coaches as well.”
Katrina Adams, a former professional doubles player, won 20 WTA doubles titles and reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1988.
Beyond the court, she made history as the first African-American and former professional player to lead the USTA.
