Chicago native hits ground running as head of United States Tennis Association

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A former resident of Chicago's West Side has now risen to the top of the world of tennis in this country.

Katrina Adams was recently named CEO of the United States Tennis Association, or USTA. She says she has always been driven, always a leader, but this new position even has her in awe - and it all started in Chicago.

"I'm the first African-American to hold that title. The first professional athlete to hold that title and the fourth female to hold that title in 133 years," Adams said.

Adams' rise to the top started when she was a young girl at XS Tennis on the South Side, where she once played. With this new position, she's hitting the ground running.

"I'm really excited about it. As a former player, I played junior tennis in high school, collegiate, professional. I was a national coach. I was a commentator, still am an analyst. But I've been through every facet of the game and so I truly understand what everyone who is involved in the sport, what their needs are. What their concerns are and hopefully I will be able to step up and elevate the game and take it to the next level," Adams said.

Her love for the game first started at the Martin Luther King Jr. Boys Club on the West Side. She says at an early age she was hooked and supported by her parents who were educators. But Katrina says it really did "take a village" to get her to the top of the tennis world.

"I've had so many great opportunities growing up in the city of Chicago: Prairie Tennis Club, to the Hyde Park Tennis Club to Midtown. Everybody that was involved in tennis, especially people of color. The black community always supported me. From when I was really 7," Adams said.

Now she wants to grow the next generation of tennis champs by promoting the development of young players while fighting for expansion of the sport. She says black kids today have plenty of role models like Venus and Serena Williams and Chicago's own Taylor Townsend. She now wants to go after another group of youngsters.

"It my next step in trying to grow it, is to really reach out to Hispanic communities. We don't have a lot of Hispanics in our sport at the grassroots level. I think it's a golden opportunity. They are the fastest growing population in America," Adams said.

But right now, the Northwestern grad is preparing to celebrate her own achievement with a gala in her honor Friday night at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

"It's a full circle. It's bringing it back home at it's also being able to celebrate with the hundreds of people who really supported me from day one. From the community policemen, to the teachers, to the tennis pros, etc. So for me as a Chicagoan being able to come back and celebrate with everyone is really amazing," Adams said.

The USTA is based in Westchester County, N.Y., and Adams runs a tennis program in Harlem. But she's says is a Chicagoan through-and-through, and that's why it's important to celebrate right here with her friends and family.