NEW YORK,Aug 27-As the National Tennis Center launched its yearly tennis spectacular at Flushing Meadows,four Africian American men bearing placecards stood on a ramp leading to the site.Their intended audience-thousands of fans streaming past to celebrate Arthur Ashe Kid's Day,complete with star music performers 98 Degrees and Jessica Simpson-paid only scant attention Saturday as they walked past.
Once inside, the fans watched qualifying matches for the US Open tournament-which gets under way in earnest Monday-and playful exhibitions between top-seeded Andre Agassi and former champ John McEnroe,as well as doubles match pitting Pete Sampras and Martina Hingis against Mark Philippoussis and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
Announcers such as movie star Alec Baldwin and model and VH-1 personality Roshumba paid homage to the late Ashe, for whom the center's main stadium is named,and who,having won Wimbledon in 1975,is still the last Africian American man to win a Grand-Slam-level tournament.
Outside the protesters stood quietly: Norman Wilkerson, a much heralded teacher and coach from Atlanta;George Henderson, a teaching pro from North Miami; and William Washington, an outspoken coach from Delray Beach,Fla.,whose son, Malivai was the most successful Africian-American man in tennis since Ashe; and his younger son Mashiska,also a tennis pro.
Mashiska, his father and the other demonstrators carried signs in hand-painted letters, reading:EQUAL OPPORTUNITY IN TENNIS FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR." Washington's whose daughter Mashono is also a tour professional, saids blacks are excluded by tournament promoters who give wild card entries to major tournaments to less deserving whites.
WILD CARD PROCESS
The wild-card process goes on largely unnoticed outside the world of tennis.At the top level, tournament directors invite low-ranked but promising players to enter the main playing field, known as the draw, of major tournaments.
At a lower level, directors give players wild card admission to the qualifying rounds, which is considered a lesser prize, since they must win as many as five or six matches to reach the main draw.
Only in the main draw do unknown players have the chance to compete against top international stars such as Agassi, Patrick Rafter, and Sampras. Even winning a set there can catapult a little-known player into the spotlight.An upset can lead to endorsements and lucrative contracts with sporting goods companies and equipment manufacturers.
ISSUES IN LITIGATION
But to William Washington, the doors to those opportunties are not opened far enough."There are no blacks coming to this tournament,"said Washington."We have been protesting for three years and I do not see any more blacks coming".
US Tennis Association officials said they could not comment because the issue is in litigation.Washington sued the USTA in December, charing biased treatment of Mashiska and Mashono.
Manhattan Attorney Sandra Frelix, who drafted the lawsuit, said the USTA had not altered its policy as a result of the complaint."We just want equitable treatment,she said "Their behavior has been the same"
DO WHITE PLAYERS UNFAIRLY BENEFIT
Washingtonsaid that tournament directors have ceded wild-card privileges to white-oriented management company's who represent players and help conduct the tournaments in which they compete.
In the main draw of this year's tournament,he singled out Wild Card entrant Andy Roddick, 17, among others,as getting preferential treatment.He said these players'highest rankings were lower than more deserving Africian-American players.
Washington's son, Mashiska, was ranked 300 places higher on the list than Roddick but did not receive a wild card invitation into the main draw.