Celebrating Women in Tennis: Shaina Zaidi at the
2025 US Open Champions of Equality Event

The US Open’s annual Champions of Equality celebration, hosted by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), honors leaders who have made extraordinary contributions to advancing opportunities for women in sports and society. Launched in 2023, the program highlights national trailblazers alongside grassroots changemakers from USTA’s 17 sections, reflecting Billie Jean King’s lifelong mission to empower women and level the playing field.

The inaugural event in 2023 honored Billie Jean King with a Lifetime Achievement Award and celebrated Venus Williams as the first recipient of the US Open Billie Jean King Champion of Equality Award. King, a Long Beach native, has won 39 Grand Slam titles, led the United States to numerous Federation Cup victories, and fought tirelessly for gender equality, including founding the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and advocating for equal prize money. Her legacy has inspired generations of athletes and advocates to pursue their goals without compromise and to fight for fairness in all aspects of life.

In 2024, Shonda Rhimes was honored nationally, joining Venus Williams and Billie Jean King as icons whose work has shifted both culture and opportunity.

This year’s ceremony at the 2025 US Open paid special tribute to Althea Gibson, the first Black player to compete in the U.S. National Championships (now the US Open) in 1950. Her groundbreaking legacy was celebrated with logos, on-court tributes, and storytelling, reaffirming tennis’s commitment to diversity and representation.

USTA Southern California’s Honoree: Shaina Zaidi

Shaina Zaidi, co-founder of TuMe Tennis Club, represented USTA Southern California this year. Following in the footsteps of Area League Coordinator Beth Kuney (2024) and Doris Obih of 40 Love Foundation (2023), Zaidi continues Southern California’s tradition of celebrating leaders who create meaningful access and opportunities in tennis.

For more than a decade, Zaidi has built programs for women, juniors, and underrepresented communities, focusing on advocacy, coaching, mentorship, and community engagement. Through TuMe Tennis Club, she and her brother, Adam, have introduced countless players to tennis while cultivating a culture that prioritizes community over competition. TuMe’s “remix style” often brings as many as 20 players to the court at once, cheering each other on and generating a vibrant, welcoming atmosphere.

“TuMe Tennis Club stands for everyone that felt like tennis was out of reach,” Zaidi said. “Now it’s a sport and place where they belong and can thrive within our community and beyond. This is so much bigger than tennis.”

Zaidi admitted she was caught off guard by the honor. “I really was caught by surprise and left speechless in receiving this award, but I fully accept it with my whole heart and will honor the responsibility to continue to be a champion of equality, motivated more than ever to keep charging ahead connecting people through sport,” she reflected. “It was such a dream come true to be recognized for the work my brother and I are doing with TuMe Tennis Club to create more inclusion in tennis.”

The moment felt serendipitous, as she received the third annual Champions of Equality Award the same year TuMe Tennis Club turned three, while wearing her longtime jersey number three. Her reflections echoed national honoree Ava DuVernay: “You must have barriers in order to have triumph. It is our magic and how do you cultivate it within yourself.” Zaidi added, “I feel like I’m living a triumph story, and all of these women that are being celebrated here today.”

Building a Movement Through Community

“Shaina Zaidi’s work with TuMe Tennis Club exemplifies the values we hold at USTA Southern California,” said Esther Hendershott, Director of Community & Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at USTA Southern California. “Having her represent Southern California as our Champion of Equality honoree highlights the impact she has made at every level. She is not only a coach, but also a trailblazer who inspires meaningful change in tennis and beyond.”

Hendershott added, “By fostering a sense of belonging and inclusion, she has strengthened the local tennis community while reflecting the true spirit of the Champions of Equality. Through her dedication to creating inclusive programs, she has opened doors for new and recreational players, ensuring that everyone—regardless of background—feels comfortable learning the game and connecting with others. Her audience is diverse and often new to tennis, yet Shaina has a unique ability to introduce the sport in a welcoming, accessible, and non-intimidating way.”

Zaidi credited USTA SoCal’s Community division, led by Hendershott, for laying the groundwork, and thanked USTA’s Sean Holcomb-Jones and President Brian Vahaly for their support. She also acknowledged the inspiration of her brother Adam and her parents “for first putting a racquet in our hands.”

“This award isn’t just about me,” Zaidi said. “It was recognition that all those that I represent have been seen and validated and welcomed into the sport.”

Honoring Trailblazers Past and Present

Champions of Equality has recognized national trailblazers like Ava DuVernay, Shonda Rhimes, and Venus Williams, alongside 16 women each year nominated by their USTA sections for grassroots efforts to create access and opportunity in tennis. Together, these honorees embody the event’s spirit of celebrating leaders whose impact stretches from neighborhood courts to global stages. 

The 2025 awards were presented at the US Open on Thursday, September 4, coinciding with the women’s semifinal matches. Ava DuVernay was honored for her groundbreaking work in television and film, amplifying the voices of women, people of color, and underrepresented creators. She then joined Rhimes and Williams for a panel discussion on mentorship, leadership, and the responsibility of trailblazers to create inclusive spaces.

Shonda Rhimes is an award-winning television writer, producer, and showrunner, known for creating hit series such as Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, and has been a vocal advocate for diversity and inclusion in the entertainment industry. Ava DuVernay is an acclaimed filmmaker and producer, celebrated for works including Selma and A Wrinkle in Time, and she uses her platform to highlight social justice and equality issues. Venus Williams, a tennis icon and multiple Grand Slam champion, has been a pioneer for women in sports, advocating for equal prize money and serving as a role model for young athletes worldwide. Together, these leaders exemplify the spirit of the award: breaking barriers, empowering women, and promoting equity in their fields and in society at large.

For Zaidi, being surrounded by icons such as DuVernay, Rhimes, Williams, and Billie Jean King was both humbling and inspiring. “To be in that room with absolute legendary trailblazers was a reminder that I am living in my purpose,” she said. “It was motivating to see them celebrate us—the grassroots leaders—just as much as we celebrated them. Together, we are creating a greater place of opportunity for everyone.”

From Billie Jean King’s historic fight for equal prize money, to Althea Gibson’s courage in breaking racial barriers, to today’s changemakers like Ava DuVernay and Shaina Zaidi, Champions of Equality shines a light on leaders who are reshaping the future of sport and society. It is more than an award: it is a call to action, a celebration of progress, and an invitation to build a more welcoming game for all.