Library Journal Review

Though many people know that Arthur Ashe was the first (and only) African American man to win a singles title at Wimbledon, in 1975, fewer recognize the name Althea Gibson (1927-2003), though she won the women's singles title twice nearly 20 years earlier. This film tells the story of Gibson's life, from her early years in the cotton fields of South Carolina and her adolescence in New York's Harlem where she first picked up a racket to her rise to the top of the predominantly white world of competitive tennis and her ultimate departure from the sport that, despite her superstar status, did not pay her a living wage. The film's style is spare, with minimal background music, incorporating personal recollections and observations from Gibson's friends, family, and playing partners as well as liberal use of archival photographs and video footage of matches and interviews. VERDICT A poignant chronicle that shatters many assumptions about the world of tennis and the lives of superstar athletes. It will appeal to fans of tennis, sports history, and female players.-Sara Holder, McGill Univ. Lib., Montreal © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.