Carrie Soto Is Back

Carrie Soto is Back is grounded in the social and historical context of the late 1960s through the mid-to-late 1990s, a time when women were rising to prominence in tennis and questioning gender norms across cultures. Carrie is a uniquely ruthless woman for this period, which garners her a controversial reputation. As Carrie rises to fame, she sees the different ways that women are treated and calls attention to the different standards assigned to men and women in tennis, often pointing out how her confidence aggravates the public. The interspersal of news articles and transcripts throughout the narrative illustrates multiple perspectives on Carrie’s comeback: Many women are supportive of her and willing to call out the double standard assigned to women (especially older women), while men judge her attitude and disregard her accomplishments.

Jenkins Reid also brings up nascent conversations about intersectionality—the idea that one’s various identities do not exist in a vacuum, but rather intersect and build upon each other—by tying in Gwen’s experiences as a Black woman and Nicki’s as an Asian woman and a lesbian. Both of them experience life differently than Carrie, and Carrie acknowledges that they face struggles she does not.

In many ways, Carrie Soto’s journey draws on the history of women in tennis and their quest for equal treatment in the sport. When Cortez criticizes Carrie’s return to tennis, Carrie implies that Cortez is disrespectful of her predecessors. She says, “You don't see me going around asking who the Original 9 are, do you? No, because I know what I owe them.” (138). The “Original 9” refers to the women who founded the Virginia Slims Circuit in the early 1970s, including Billie Jean King. The Circuit was formed in response to the lack of opportunities for women—due to claims that “people [wouldn't] buy tickets to see women”—as well as unfair prize differences: In one competition, for instance, the men were promised a reward of $12,500 for victory, while the women were only allotted $1,500 (‘They won't buy tickets to see women’: 50 years on from a tennis rebellion). The Circuit would later become the WTA Tour.

Sexism in tennis, which is a notable theme in Carrie Soto is Back, has continued through the 21st century. In 2018, Serena Williams received backlash after accusing her umpire of unfair judgment calls. Williams stated that the response and penalties were a result of sexism. The Williams sisters have faced scrutiny throughout their careers and have been vocal about their detractors. About the incident, Billie Jean King tweeted “When a woman is emotional, she’s ‘hysterical’ and she’s penalized for it. When a man does the same, he’s ‘outspoken’ & there are no repercussions. Thank you, Serena Williams, for calling out this double standard. More voices are needed to do the same” (Serena Williams is Calling Out Sexism in Tennis. Here’s Why). Like Williams, Carrie Soto garners a reputation as a “bitch” for her blunt attitude and ruthless pursuit of victory.

Serena Williams and her sister, Venus Williams are Olympic gold medalists and have won 14 Grand Slam doubles as of 2022; Serena Williams, in particular, is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. None of their achievements have insulated them from sexist and racist criticism. The culture of tennis, which has a longstanding reputation as an upper-class sport with attendant expectations of decorum, has led to many incidents of sexist and racist criticism for the sisters. In 2014, Russian Tennis Federation president Shamil Tarpischev referred to the two as the “Williams brothers,” claiming it was a poorly translated joke (Serena Williams Slams Russian Official Over Sexist and Racist Comments). Additionally, after the aforementioned 2018 controversy, Mark Knight drew a derogatory caricature of Serena Williams for Australia’s Herald Sun, notably referencing the stereotype of the “Angry Black Female.” The caricature also depicted Williams’s opponent, Naomi Osaka, as a blonde, white woman; Osaka is of Japanese and Haitian descent (The Long History Behind the Racist Attacks on Serena Williams).

In Carrie Soto is Back, Jenkins Reid draws attention to issues of racism within tennis—Nicki Chan, Carrie’s primary opponent, is Asian, and describes the racism she experiences in conversations with Carrie. Nicki also points out the way Carrie overshadows her in the press, even though Nicki is often the first Asian woman to accomplish various feats. (Carrie, in return, notes that much of the attention is negative, especially since Carrie is quite a bit older than her opponents.)

Throughout the novel, Carrie Soto is aware that she’s under gendered scrutiny and is expected to behave appropriately according to very conservative ideas of femininity. This ties into her desire for a comeback on her own terms and allows the novel to grapple with many of the problems that the broader culture of tennis has struggled with for decades.