This is a monumental honor!
In a groundbreaking moment for both art and sport, Melissa Koby has become the first Black woman commissioned to create the official artwork for the U.S. Open, commemorating the tournament’s 75th anniversary of breaking barriers. Her illustration centers the legacy of Althea Gibson, the first Black woman to win the U.S. Open, bridging the worlds of tennis and cultural storytelling through powerful, purpose-driven design.
The honor is deeply personal for Koby, a Tampa-based illustrator whose creative journey began during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I began illustrating at the height of Covid, in order to cope with being in quarantine,” Koby told Because Of Them We Can. What started as therapeutic expression on Instagram evolved into a celebrated career. “I started…connecting with people that wanted to purchase my art as print and brands that wanted me to create for them.”
Her latest chapter began unexpectedly, when a U.S.Tennis Association employee scrolling Instagram stumbled upon one of Koby’s paper pieces.
“They sent me an email and asked me if I was interested in creating the theme artwork and here we are,” she said. “I spent so many nights trying to get the artwork just right and was so happy that I landed on a design that I was proud of and that the committee felt told a compelling enough story.”
That story is rooted in the legacy of Althea Gibson, whose historic U.S. Open victory in 1957 shattered racial barriers and created a path for generations of Black women in tennis. “She is THE blueprint,” explained Koby. “She paved the way for women like Zina Garrison, Venus and Serena, Naomi Osaka, Coco Gauff. She truly deserves all the flowers.”
The announcement of the artwork, timed with the May 30th ticket release, marks more than a promotional milestone. It’s an invitation for new audiences to feel seen, represented, and celebrated in a space that hasn’t always been widely accessible to Black communities.
“I want MY people to know we are breaking barriers even with sport related art. I want little Black kids to know that their art can make an impact,” she emphasized.
For Koby, the significance of the moment goes beyond public recognition. “I just keep thinking about my grandma,” she said, recalling childhood nights spent listening to her grandmother’s fervent prayers. “She prayed that her children’s children would find their way in life. I really just wish I could tell her that I found a path that led me to happiness and a chance to be a part of history.”
Koby’s message to aspiring artists and dreamers is as bold and beautiful as the work she creates: “Be encouraged to continue to share your gifts, your unique point of view, your art, all the things that are a part of your purpose. You are the blueprint. Please don’t forget it.”
Check out Koby’s beautiful illustration below, honoring trailblazer Althea Gibson for the 2025 U.S. Open.
Cover photo: Melissa Koby Becomes First Black Woman to Create Official U.S. Open Artwork, Honors Althea Gibson for 75th Anniversary/Photo credit: Melissa Koby