Duval Upsets Stosur In First Round

By Marcus A. Freeman, Jr.

Imagine a 17-year-old making over $40,000.00 in one day on the tennis court, playing a sport that she enjoys and consumes most of her time during her waking hours.

Victoria Duval, a native of Haiti, who now resides in the United States, entered the 2013 US Open in New York ranked 298th in the world, and had to win the qualifying round to enter the main draw, upset Samantha Stosur in the first round to make the biggest pay check of her life.

Duval decided to play tennis at the age of seven while watching her older brothers play in a tournament Santo Domingo, near her childhood home in Haiti. Without any previous tournament experience, Duval entered the same event after encouragement from the tournament director, and won her age division. This win prompted her to play other tennis events, taking her away from her love for ballet.

This win also means that Duval has a bright future in the game, joining other Black female super stars in tennis as Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Madison Keys, and teenage sensation, Taylor Townsend. The time is near when everyone can feel comfortable about the major strides that Blacks have made in tennis in the past, and the great promise it has for additional players in the future.