Arthur Ashe, the legendary tennis player and social activist, is a trailblazing figure who remains a lasting symbol of courage, resilience, and activism. His remarkable achievements as both an athlete and activist made him a role model and an inspiration to millions. Dive into these famous Arthur Ashe quotes that reflect his hard work, confidence, and grace that established him as a true legend on and off the court.
Born Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. on July 10, 1943, Ashe became the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team.
He remains to be the only Black American to be ranked No. 1 in the world in the men’s singles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.
Ashe’s childhood was marked by struggles and hardships. From losing his mother at the age of six to facing racism as a child, Ashe’s journey to greatness is a testament to his exceptional determination and perseverance from an early age.
He discovered tennis a year after his mother’s death and excelled in the sport under the coach Dr. Robert Walter Johnson Jr.
Ashe paved his way to success starting with winning the junior national title in 1960 and 1961. He was ranked the 5th best junior player in the country.
In 1968, Arthur Ashe made history by becoming the first African American man to win the US Open. Two years later, he won the Australian Open and finally won the singles title at Wimbledon in 1975.
Apart from his remarkable achievements in the athletic field, Ashe was a staunch advocate for civil rights, education, and humanitarian causes. He became actively involved in the civil rights movement, speaking out against racial discrimination and inequality.
Arthur Ashe retired from tennis in 1980 after a heart attack. He contracted AIDS in 1988 and died from AIDS-related pneumonia on February 6, 1993. His legacy continues to inspire generations to strive for excellence and equality.
Here are the best Arthur Ashe quotes about life, race, success, and more that will inspire you to work hard to reach your goals.
Top 10 Arthur Ashe Quotes
- “Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.” — Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe Quotes - “Life is like a tennis game. You can’t win without serving.” — Arthur Ashe
Quotes From Arthur Ashe - “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
Best Arthur Ashe Quotes - “Trust has to be earned, and should come only after the passage of time.” — Arthur Ashe
Quotes By Arthur Ashe - “From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.” — Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe Quote - “Fear isn’t an excuse to come to a standstill. It’s the impetus to step up and strike.” — Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe Sayings - “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” — Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe Famous Quotes - “You’ve got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.” — Arthur Ashe
Arthur Ashe Inspirational Quotes - “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” — Arthur Ashe
Motivational Arthur Ashe Quotes - “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” — Arthur Ashe
Famous Quotes By Arthur Ashe
- “A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.” — Arthur Ashe
- “The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.” — Arthur Ashe
- “Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.” — Arthur Ashe
- “You really are never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself.” — Arthur Ashe
- “The best way to judge a life is to ask yourself, “Did I make the best use of the time I had?” — Arthur Ashe
- “Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.” — Arthur Ashe
- “If I don’t ask “Why me?” after my victories, I cannot ask “Why me?” after my setbacks and disasters.” — Arthur Ashe
- “I take the good with the bad, and I try to face them both with as much calm and dignity as I can muster.” — Arthur Ashe
- “We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.” — Arthur Ashe
- “If I were to say, ‘God, why me?’ about the bad things, then I should have said, ‘God, why me?’ about the good things that happened in my life.” — Arthur Ashe
- “Wherever I am when you feel sick at heart and weary of life, or when you stumble and fall and don’t know if you can get up again, think of me. I will be watching and smiling and cheering you on.” — Arthur Ashe
Best Arthur Ashe Quotes
- “With what we give, we make a life.” — Arthur Ashe
- “Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.” — Arthur Ashe
- “I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do.” — Arthur Ashe
- “You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that.” — Arthur Ashe
- “My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity.” — Arthur Ashe
- “If one’s reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.” — Arthur Ashe
- “Every time you win, it diminishes the fear a little bit. You never really cancel the fear of losing; you keep challenging it.” — Arthur Ashe
- “I have always tried to be true to myself, to pick those battles I felt were important. My ultimate responsibility is to myself. I could never be anything else.” — Arthur Ashe
- “Throughout my formal education I spent many, many hours in public and school libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were. The current definitive answer to almost any question can be found within the four walls of most libraries.” — Arthur Ashe
- “The world over – 50 million children start playing tennis, 5 million learn to play tennis, 500,000 learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach the grand slam, 50 reach Wimbledon, 4 to semi final, 2 to the finals, when I was holding a cup I never asked GOD ‘Why me?’. And today in pain I should not be asking GOD ‘Why me?’” — Arthur Ashe
Fast Facts About Arthur Ashe
Born: July 10, 1943 Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Died: February 6, 1993 (aged 49) New York, New York, U.S.
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Education: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School, Sumner High School
Spouse: Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe (m. 1977–1993)
Children: Camera Ashe (Daughter)
Grand Slam Titles (Winner): US Open (1968), Australian Open (1970), & Wimbledon (1975)
Awards & Honors: The inaugural ATP Player of the Year Award (1975). Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (1985). The Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Bill Clinton (Posthumously in 1993). The main court for the US Open and the largest tennis arena in the world, Arthur Ashe Stadium, is named in his honor.
Notable Books: Days of Grace, Off The court, A Hard Road to Glory, Arthur Ashe, Portrait in Motion, & Arthur Ashe on Tennis
Conclusion
Whether or not you’re a tennis fan, you will surely get inspired and motivated from these wise words of Arthur Ashe about life, failure, success, and more.
Let us know which are your favorite Arthur Ashe quotations and sayings (with images & wallpapers)? If you have a quote that is not on the above list, please share it in the comments section below.
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