30-Love: Black Spin Global: A New Podcast

From individuals to organizations, weekend warriors to professional players, minute observations to big-picture ideas, tennis has been top of mind across the board over the past two years.

“I feel like this is the tennis boom part two,” says Trey Waltke, general manager of the Malibu Racquet Club in southern California. “Everyone is talking tennis. Everyone is playing. People are rediscovering how great tennis is.”

Tennis shouldn’t rest on its laurels; the first boom didn’t last forever. But this is as good of an opportunity to reflect on what the sport has gotten right, during a time when so much has gone wrong.

Over the next few weeks, we'll do just that, with a series of stories—30-Love—that highlights 30 things worth celebrating about the New American Tennis Boom. Look for past articles on the left side of each page.—Ed McGrogan

From pros to podcasters, tennis' stakeholders are pushing hard to change the sport's elitist narrative. Enter Eugene Allen and Lucy Tezangi, who use their voices to shine a light on Black tennis players, coaches and contributors in media with their podcast, Black Spin Global.

"Tennis is still predominantly white and upper-class—it makes what we're trying to do with the platfom and the podcast all the more special," Allen says. "The fact the players and coaches we're celebrating acknowledge us also means the world!"

The podcast launched in March 2020 and has featured Frances Tiafoe, Sachia Vickery and journalist Tumaini Carayol, among other guests.

With Allen's fact-driven critiques and Tezangi's witty banter, the duo serves up engaging conversations in pursuit of cracking the glass ceiling.

"I think the fact our sole focus is on Black tennis players sets us apart," Allen says. "There are loads of great tennis podcasts around, but Black Spin Global stands alone."