Aug 28 (Reuters) - American players Jessica Pegula and Frances Tiafoe said tennis is moving in the right direction on diversity as Tiafoe highlighted increased representation at the top of the game and the financial barriers facing young players.
Pegula said the sport's global reach was one of its strengths, pointing to players from around the world and the varied fan bases they attract.
"I think the best part of tennis is there is so much diversity," Pegula told reporters on Friday in Flushing Meadows
ahead of the U.S. Open. "Everybody from around the world can play."
Pegula cited representation among Black players, as well as the growth of tennis in Asia due to players such as Alex Eala of the Philippines and Qinwen Zheng of China.
"You see talent from all over the world. I think it's honestly one of the most diverse sports."
The New York setting of the U.S. Open shares that diversity, Pegula said.
"You see a lot of different countries and fans and different types of people come out and support who they love to support," she said.
Tiafoe said representation in the women's game had been strong for years and pointed to an increasing number of players from a range of backgrounds competing near the top of the men's game.
Tiafoe and France's Arthur Fils made history at the Cincinnati Open last week when they became the first Black players to face each other in an ATP 1000 tournament final.
"That's never happened in tennis. That's a huge thing," Tiafoe said.
Tiafoe stressed that access remained a major challenge in tennis.
"USTA is doing great getting underserved community kids to play the game. Obviously, so many things cost, racquets, strings, coaching, shoes, whatever."
The USTA's 2026 U.S. Tennis Participation Report said 3.7 million Black Americans played tennis at least once in 2025, an increase of more than 450,000 players from the previous year.
The report also showed broader changes in the demographic profile of U.S. tennis players. Hispanic/Latino players accounted for 19% of participants in 2025, up from 18% in 2024, while Asian/Pacific Islander players accounted for 11%, unchanged from the previous year.
While he said the sport was progressing, Tiafoe cautioned that affordability could not be solved quickly.
"Yeah, it's going the right direction," he said. "It's not something that's going to change overnight. Cost is cost, right? It's got to come from somewhere."
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)
