WASHINGTON (AP)—Former Fed Cup captain Zina Garrison and the U.S. Tennis Association are mired in a dispute over her departure.
The USTA announced in December 2007 that 2008 would be Garrison’s final season at the helm, with Mary Joe Fernandez taking over in 2009.
Garrison, the first black captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team, was not brought back after going 5-5 over five seasons, losing in the semifinals four times and the quarterfinals once.
“There’s an ongoing dispute, and there has been discussion of litigation, and there is not a firm date on which litigation is going to be filed,” Garrison’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said Monday. “There is an ongoing dispute with the USTA, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Sports Business Journal first reported on the dispute.
“It’s disappointing,” USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said.
Garrison replaced Billie Jean King as Fed Cup captain for the 2004 season.
As a player, Garrison was the 1990 Wimbledon runner-up, becoming the first black woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to reach a Grand Slam singles final. She was ranked in the top 10 from 1983-90, peaking at No. 4, and played on eight Fed Cup teams from 1984-94, going 22-5 and helping win three titles.
The USTA announced in December 2007 that 2008 would be Garrison’s final season at the helm, with Mary Joe Fernandez taking over in 2009.
Garrison, the first black captain of the U.S. Fed Cup team, was not brought back after going 5-5 over five seasons, losing in the semifinals four times and the quarterfinals once.
“There’s an ongoing dispute, and there has been discussion of litigation, and there is not a firm date on which litigation is going to be filed,” Garrison’s lawyer, Debra Katz, said Monday. “There is an ongoing dispute with the USTA, and we’ll see where it goes.”
Sports Business Journal first reported on the dispute.
“It’s disappointing,” USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier said.
Garrison replaced Billie Jean King as Fed Cup captain for the 2004 season.
As a player, Garrison was the 1990 Wimbledon runner-up, becoming the first black woman since Althea Gibson in 1958 to reach a Grand Slam singles final. She was ranked in the top 10 from 1983-90, peaking at No. 4, and played on eight Fed Cup teams from 1984-94, going 22-5 and helping win three titles.
