United States 
Piano Prodigy Jude Kofie to Headline Project Harmony’s 30th Anniversary Gala
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Zina Garrison, a celebrated American tennis player and Olympic medalist, transitioned from a distinguished professional career to roles as a tennis commentator, community advocate, and motivational speaker, inspiring future generations both on and off the court.
Olympic champion Zina Garrison has partnered with Fast Track Tennis to launch a national program that uses the company's patented portable training system and ...
Zina had represented the Pony brand, a deal worth ...
In her interview to The Guardian, Garrison, a former World No. 4, says she was able to sign a deal with Reebok only the night before her ...
Zina Lynna Garrison, born on November 16, 1963, in Houston, Texas, began her journey in tennis at the age of 10. Despite not having a family history in the sport, her talent quickly emerged, leading her to win the national girls’ 18s title at 14. In 1981, she achieved global recognition as the world’s No. 1 junior player, securing both the Wimbledon and US Open junior titles. She graduated from Sterling High School in Houston in 1982.
Garrison turned professional in 1982, making her Grand Slam debut at the French Open where she reached the quarterfinals. This early success earned her the WTA Newcomer of the Year award in 1982. Throughout her career, Garrison achieved significant milestones, including reaching the Australian Open semifinals in 1983 and winning her first top-level singles titles in 1984 in Zürich and in 1985 at the Amelia Island Championships. In 1988, at the Seoul Olympics, she secured a gold medal in women’s doubles with Pam Shriver and a bronze medal in singles. Her career highlight was reaching the 1990 Wimbledon Championships singles final, becoming the first African-American woman since Althea Gibson to do so. She defeated Monica Seles and world No. 1 Steffi Graf before losing to Martina Navratilova.
After retiring from professional tennis in 1996, Garrison’s career evolved. She became a television commentator and actively engaged in community initiatives. She founded the Zina Garrison Foundation for the Homeless in 1988 and the Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis Program in 1992, supporting inner-city tennis in Houston. She has also served as a U.S. Federation Cup captain and led the U.S. women’s team at the 2008 Beijing Games, where Serena and Venus Williams won a gold medal in doubles. Garrison openly shared her experiences with bulimia throughout her playing career and a later battle with depression, using her story to inspire others. She continues to reside in Houston, serving as the Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s tennis director and running the Zina Garrison Tennis Academy, which provides free tennis programming for youth.
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