A hostile bang smashed by champion tennis player (6)
'champion tennis player' is the definition.
(Althea Gibson, tennis champion and golfer)
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for althea that I've seen before include "wholesome woman" , "Girl" , "female" .)
'champion tennis player' is the definition.
(US tennis player, 1927-2003)
'a hostile bang smashed' is the wordplay.
'smashed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'hostile'+'bang'='hostilebang'
'hostilebang' anagrammed gives 'ltheagibson'.
'a'+'ltheagibson'='ALTHEA GIBSON'
'by' acts as a link.