Meet the First Black Artist Commissioned by the US Open to Create the Tournament’s 2025 Theme Art
Written by Site Hub on August 5, 2025
Melissa Koby has made history as the first Black artist commissioned to design the US Open’s theme art. Her work pays tribute to tennis icon Althea Gibson, the first Black athlete to win a Grand Slam title. Koby’s silhouette-driven design will be featured throughout the 2025 US Open, which celebrates “75 Years of Breaking Barriers.” Her piece aims to connect viewers with Gibson’s legacy while inspiring new generations. The tribute will culminate in a ceremony at Arthur Ashe Stadium on August 24. Koby joins a long line of Black excellence celebrated at one of tennis’s most prestigious events.
Source: BET
Image Source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection; Author: Fred Palumbo via Wikimedia Commons
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