She says it was a labor of love from the start. Tennis trailblazer Katrina Adams has turned her passion for the game into a phenomenal career well beyond the court, being a leader, a decisionmaker, a voice for the growth and development of tennis. She talks with Jeanne about her love of competition; why staying in the sport of tennis as an executive was the only natural path for her; how she works to build on her accomplishments of “firsts” in the sport, creating access for others; what it was like having to handle the US Open incident between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka; her best three words of advice; and what it’s like being the only one.

About Katrina:

Katrina Adams grew up in Chicago, playing tennis since she was 6. She attended Northwestern University and led her team to a Big Ten Championship in 1986. She spent 12 years on the WTA tour, winning 20 career doubles titles and reaching the quarterfinals or better in doubles at all four Grand Slam events. Kat then went from the court to the C-suite, becoming the first African American to lead the USTA and the first two-term Chairman and President. Under her leadership, the USTA hit a number of major milestones, including the transformation of the $600 million USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. She currently is vice president of the International Tennis Federation, Chairman of the Billie Jean King Cup Committee, Chairman of the Gender Equality in Tennis Committee and Executive Director of the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program. She’s also the author of “Own the Arena: Getting Ahead, Making a Difference, and Succeeding as the Only One.” Now in paperback.

Twitter: @katadams68
Instagram: @katadams68
Facebook: Katrina Adams
Website: https://katrinamadams.com/