Martin Blackman reflects on 'ripple effect' of ATA's legacy after receiving Ace Award

This July, Martin Blackman was honored at the American Tennis Association's Ace Awards, where the General Manager of USTA Player Development was recognized for his contributions to fostering inclusivity and diversity in tennis.

In his acceptance speech, Blackman turned the spotlight back onto the ATA and its legacy—without which he may never have had the opportunity to make an impact of his own in the sport.

"In my speech, I had an opportunity to talk a little bit about my life in tennis and how many people have helped me along the way—and how many of those people were ATA members, though I didn't realize it," he told USTA.com. "That's a huge part of the legacy of the ATA, that ripple effect since 1916 that has opened doors for hundreds of thousands of Black tennis players, and created safe and vibrant tennis environments in thousands of Black communities across this country.

"By protecting their community, facilitating safe places for Black communities, Black families and players to play and compete... with every generation building on what's gone on before, from Robert Johnson to Althea Gibson to Arthur Ashe, in all these communities of tennis around the country—that legacy continues to ripple across the generations. It's beautiful."

Addressing the diverse crowd at the Ace Awards, Blackman shared a story from his junior days to illustrate that ripple effect.

"That aspect of giving back and looking out for people who couldn’t afford those opportunities, that's a huge part of the ATA's legacy," Blackman explained. "And what Bob Binns did for me is something that's happened thousands of times, all over the country for 108 years. I was happy to be able to share that with the ATA during my speech."

As he progressed from player to coach to industry leader, Blackman made his own contributions to the ATA's legacy—though he remains deferential to those who came before him.

"I hope I play a part in the ATA's legacy. I do try to play a part," he said. "If I have been able to contribute, it’s only because I’ve been a recipient of the kindness, care and generosity of so many people over the course of my tennis journey, like Bob Binns, Nick Bollettieri, coach Dick Gould and Alan Schwartz, among many others. That understanding of the opportunities that I’ve been given deepens my commitment to give back, and I can’t think of a more motivating and inspiring example than that of the ATA.

Honoring outgoing ATA president Roxanne Aaron

At the Ace Awards, Blackman was introduced by a young man who competed in the 2024 ATA National Championships, held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. This year's tournament will be the last under the leadership of outgoing ATA President Roxanne Aaron, who has completed the maximum three terms in the role.

Aaron was instrumental in bringing the ATA Championships to the USTA National Campus, and she also worked to make the annual junior tournament a sanctioned event, with help from USTA Florida.

Blackman credits Aaron for her willingness to collaborate with organizations like the USTA, the USPTA and PTR to further the mission of the ATA.

"I think that's really good leadership," Blackman said. "What the ATA has is so powerful and so well defined that there's no danger in collaborating with other allied organizations. There's no danger of the ATA culture being diluted or eroded."