Ben Shelton, Arthur Fils added to HOF's 'Breaking Boundaries' digital exhibit

The International Tennis Hall of Fame celebrates Black History Month at its museum in Newport, R.I., and worldwide on the web. Since 2022, the institution has highlighted the achievements, stories and legacies of Black tennis players and contributors with a digital exhibit, Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis.

Located at breakingboundaries.tennisfame.com, Breaking Boundaries is a visual feast for visitors. With a rotating globe serving as a portal, visitors can click on different areas of the world to see each of the now 94 men and women represented for their impact on the Black tennis community. Click on Europe, for example, and faces appear—Gael Monfils, Yannick Noah, Heather Watson, among many others—to select for striking photographs and detailed biographies.

I have always considered tennis as a combat in an arena between two gladiators who have their racquets and their courage as their weapons. Yannick Noah

The digital exhibit began with 70 names, with fans able to submit others for consideration in the coming years.

“The International Tennis Hall of Fame is pleased to announce the second round of additions to ourdigital exhibit, Breaking Boundaries in Black Tennis,” said Katrina Adams, chair of the ITHF’s Black Tennis History Committee. “Fans continue to be inspired by and contribute to this living exhibit, recognizing the importance of highlighting these trailblazers.

“The ITHF is proud to share their stories and grow this exhibit with insight from tennis fans around the world.”

There were nine additions for 2023:

• Arthur Fils of France, currently ranked No. 35 in the world after a breakout 2023 season with two wins over top-10 players and his maiden ATP title at the Lyon Open.

• Ben Shelton of the United States, current ATP Tour singles world No. 16 and 2023 US Open semifinalist. He joins his father and coach, Bryan Shelton, as the first father-son pair featured in Breaking Boundaries.

• Sande French of the United States, the first Black woman to chair a US Open singles final in 1993. She has also officiated at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, Billie Jean King Cup, and many other top tennis competitions.

• Virginia Glass of the United States, an administrator at a variety of grassroots tennis levels who became the first female president of the American Tennis Association (ATA) and the first woman of color to serve on the USTA Executive Committee.

• Maurice Hunter of the United States, a former ATP player who spent more than 18 years developing community programs for the County of Los Angeles, including Urban Legends and Superstars and the F.A.C.T. (Future Athletic Champions of Tennis) non-profit organization.

• Kgothatso Montjane of South Africa, the first African woman to compete in all four wheelchair Grand Slam tournaments and current world No. 8 in women’s singles on the ITF Uniqlo Wheelchair Tour.

• Lance Lumsden of Jamaica, who paired Richard Russell as the first Caribbean team to win a Davis Cup tie and defeat the United States in a Davis Cup doubles rubber in 1966.

• Ruia Morrison of New Zealand, the first New Zealand woman and the first Māori person to play at Wimbledon, where she advanced to the fourth round in 1957 and 1959.

• Richard Russell of Jamaica, the only Jamaican player to advance past the first round at all four Grand Slam tournaments and former director of Tennis Jamaica.