Sloane Stephens won the 2017 U.S. Open she became the fourth African American female to win a “major” tennis tournament. Her opponent in the final match, Madison Keys, became only the second black female to make it to the final of such a tournament without winning.

So when the 2018 women’s U.S. Open final featured two African American women, it was significant because it marked the second year in a row that two black athletes had played for the championship.

Moreover, neither of the 2017 finalists were in the 2018 championship match; thus, four different black players had reached the pinnacle...