When professional tennis player Sachia Vickery sat down with The Wayne Ayers Podcast, she didn’t just talk about her game. She delivered a masterclass in honesty, culture, and resilience. From her U.S. Open battles to her bold move into the OnlyFans space, Vickery proved she’s more than an athlete; she’s a Black woman rewriting the rules of tennis and life.
From Miramar to the Grand Slam Stage
Vickery’s tennis narrative did not begin within private teaching centers or a country club membership. It was forged within Miami where her Trinidadian and Guyanese roots made her resolve. A buck store paddle intrigued her, and coaches were then urging her to become a full-time tennis player. By age 10, tournament victories were mounting on her scorecard, and in her teens, her only goal was to become a pro.
That resolve earned her a seat at the Australian Open and eventually to marquee victories, none bigger than her 2018 triumph over world No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza at Indian Wells. “Coming down from a set, three-love, 40 love, and turning it around? That was pivotal,” Vickery said to Ayers. It was a testament to how her process was that of too many Black competitors who until this particular moment were or still remain overlooked, undervalued but inescapable when a spotlight is shone upon them.
Preparations for the U.S. Open and Racism in Tennis
This season’s U.S. Open saw Vickery recover from a long-standing shoulder injury that shelved her for months. But that was not all that was going on. It made headlines with a viral argument between Taylor Townsend and Jelena Ostapenko, who was famously “uneducated” about calling out Townsend after a match.
Vickery didn’t mince words:
“Lumping a Black American woman as uneducated? Low. Least of all at her home tournament. Taylor did that better than I would have. I’d most likely be suspended.”
It was not only solidarity; it was a message that Black women in tennis will not be disrespected on home ground. She celebrated Townsend’s tennis and her long-overdue credit, reinforcing that Black excellence in tennis is not a trend but a tradition, from Venus and Serena to Coco and Naomi.
Betting, Backlash, and the Ugly Side of Sports
When questioned about persistent harassment faced by athletes due to bettors who lose money, Vickery lifted the veil. She reported racist abuse, monetary demands, and harassment pouring into her phone after matches.
“They’ll come to me and say, ‘I can’t pay rent because you lost, you owe me money.’ Or monkey, cotton picker. It’s crazy. I didn’t ask you to bet on me. That was your decision.”
Her words spotlight the toxic intersection of sports betting and racism, showing just how much weight Black athletes are forced to carry off the court.
The OnlyFans Alternative: Regaining Control
Then came the headline-making pivot: Vickery joining OnlyFans. For her, it wasn’t about survival; it was about agency and opportunity. Injured and sidelined, she was invited to participate in an OFTV pickleball series hosted by Nick Kyrgios. From there, the platform opened doors and bank accounts.
“I was in the top 0.5% of creators,” she admitted. “That’s six figures in a few months. I was already promoting bikinis and lingerie on Instagram for free. Why not get paid?”
Backlash? Foreseeable. She was charged with hypocrisy. She was questioned about professionalism. But Vickery went on the offensive:
“There are players who have lingerie deals, who are half naked on all of their pages, and people don’t say a thing. If WTA ever would call me out personally, that would be an issue. Because I am not alone.”
For a Black Caribbean woman whose body is already hypersexualized by default settings, her OnlyFans decision was more than a monetary move; it was a revolutionary act. She has turned a narrative constructed to shame her into a narrative that compensates her.
Black Women. Black Joy. Black Future.
What shines brightest in this conversation is Vickery’s refusal to be boxed in. She’s an athlete, a businesswoman, a proud Caribbean daughter, and a Black woman who won’t apologize for her body, her hustle, or her joy. Whether she’s talking about dreaming of winning the U.S. Open in front of her Brooklyn family or casually revealing she makes six figures on OnlyFans, she’s embodying a truth many try to silence: Black women contain multitudes. And who is she rooting for at the U.S. Open? Don’t blink: Naomi Osaka. That’s because uplifting Black women, even while defeating them, is what Vickery and the culture does best.
