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The US Open Starts Aug. 26 - Filled with rich tradition, fierce rivalries and constant surprises, the U.S. Open, which takes place Aug. 26-Sept. 9, will not disappoint. BET.com takes a look back into the history of the U.S. Open and reveals the important role African-Americans have played in advancing the sport of tennis. — Musu Sirleaf (Photo: Authenticated News/Hulton Archive/Getty Images) 

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Breaking Barriers - Althea Gibson was the first African-American female tennis player to transcend racial lines and gain widespread success in the sport. Gibson captured two US Open titles back-to-back in 1957 and 1958. She also won the Wimbledon title in those same years. Gibson was later inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971. (Photo: Central Press/Getty Images)

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Setting a Precedent - Arthur Ashe captured the US Open men’s singles title in 1968, the year the tournament began. He was the first African-American man to win a singles title at the Grand Slam championship level. The New York Times declared Ashe’s win “the most notable achievement made in the sport by a Negro male athlete." At the time, Ashe, 25, was a lieutenant in the Army. (Photo: Fox Photos/Getty Images)

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Equal Pay for Equal Work - For the first time in tennis history, men and women received equal prize money at the U.S. Open in 1973. The lucky recipients to take home $25,000 each were Margaret Smith Court and John Newcombe. (Photo: Mark Scott/Getty Images)

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One of the Best - International Hall of Fame player Chris Evert left a proud legacy on the tennis courts. Evert debuted at the US Open in 1971 and, at 16 years old, was the youngest player at the time. Evert later went on to win the women’s singles title three times in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Evert also holds the distinction of being the only woman to win a U.S. singles title on clay courts at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. (Photo: Getty Images)

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Before They Were Veterans - Tracy Austin and John McEnroe both gave strong debut performances at the 1977 US Open. A 14-year-old Austin defeated then fourth-ranked player, Sue Barker, and reached the women’s quarterfinals. Queens native McEnroe captured three victories in the men’s semifinals before losing to Manuel Orantes. (Photos from left: Steve Powell/Getty Images, Tony Duffy/Allsport)

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A Fierce Rivalry - The Pete Sampras-Andre Agassi rivalry began in 1990 when a 19-year-old Sampras defeated Agassi in the men’s singles final.  Sampras was the youngest US Open men’s singles champion and lowest ranked to win the US Open. (Photo: Bongarts/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Bongarts/Getty Images

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Arthur Ashe Stadium Opens, Venus William's Debut - Arthur Ashe Stadium opened as part of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, Queens, in 1997. Also that year, a 17-year-old Venus Williams advanced to the finals, making her the second Black person ever to appear in the finals. (Photo: Al Bello /Allsport)

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William Sisters Steal the Show - Serena Williams grabbed her first US Open women’s single title in 1999, making history as the first Black woman to win a Grand Slam competition since Althea Gibson in 1958. Serena then joined her sister Venus Williams to capture the women’s doubles title. (Photo: Clive Brunskill /Allsport)

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More Williams Sisters' Domination - Venus Williams follows in younger sister’s footsteps and wins the women’s singles title in 2000. The next year more than 22 million viewers watched Venus defeat Serena and win her second straight women’s singles title. The Williams become the first sisters to compete against each other in a U.S. Nationals/U.S. Open final. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

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After 9/11 - A year after the Sept. 11 terror attacks, the U.S. Open honored the fallen heroes with a tribute, including a performance by  Queen Latifah. Serena Williams defeated older sister Venus in their second primetime women’s finals match. (Photo: Gary M. Prior/Getty Images)

Photo By Gary M. Prior/Getty Images

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Fiftieth Anniversary of Althea Gibson's 1957 U.S. Open Win - In 2007, former Mayor David Dinkins led the U.S. Open induction of Hall of Fame player Althea Gibson into the U.S. Open Court of Champions. Gibson was the first African-American tennis player to win the Wimbledon title in 1957 and she later went on to become a professional golf player and the first Black woman to join the LPGA. (Photo: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

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Serena Williams Continues Her Streak - Serena Williams won her third U.S. Open singles title in 2008. The following year, she took the doubles title with her sister. By the time she was 30 in 2012, she secured her 15th Grand Slam singles championship. (Photo: Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

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Welcome, Sloane - Teenager Sloane Stephens made her U.S. Open debut in 2011 and reached the third round as a wild card. For her 2012 appearance in Flushing Meadows, the Florida native crushed veteran Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-4 in their first-round matchup. She later lost to Ana Ivanovic in the third round. (Photo: C.W. Griffin/Miami Herald/ MCT /LANDOV)

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Andy Murray Is Victorious - Scottish player Andy Murray made history at the 2012 U.S. Open after he defeated returning champion Novak Djokovic to win his first career Grand Slam title. This was the first Grand Slam singles crown for Great Britain since 1936. Proud Brits also watched Murray take the gold at the 2012 London Olympics. (Photo: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth