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Althea Gibson

Althea Gibson was the first black tennis player to win Wimbledon. Professor Devi Sridhar champions her life. From 2021.

Althea Gibson made sporting history in 1957 - the first black tennis player to win a Wimbledon title.

She also won the US Open and the French Open.

Raised on the streets of Harlem, her story is remarkable. And yet she is relatively unknown.

Devi Sridhar, Professor of Global Public Health at Edinburgh University, champions Althea's life.

With writer Sally H Jacobs, who is writing a new biography of the tennis star.

Presenter: Matthew Parris

Produced at BBC Audio in Bristol by Chris Ledgard.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in August 2021.

Available now

28 minutes

Last on

Fri 28 Jun 202400:00
BBC Radio 4 Extra

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  • Tue 17 Aug 202116:30
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 20 Aug 202123:00
    BBC Radio 4
  • Thu 27 Jun 202410:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Thu 27 Jun 202416:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra
  • Fri 28 Jun 202400:00
    BBC Radio 4 Extra

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