25 Arthur Ashe Quotes on Courage, Tennis, and Social Justice
Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. (July 10, 1943 -- February 6, 1993) was an American professional tennis player who broke racial barriers in a sport that had long been the exclusive domain of white players. He was the first Black man to win the US Open (1968), the Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975), and he remains the only Black man to have won singles titles at all three of these Grand Slam tournaments. Beyond his athletic achievements, Ashe was a civil rights activist, author, educator, and humanitarian whose moral authority transcended the world of sports.
Ashe was born in Richmond, Virginia, and grew up in a city still deeply segregated by Jim Crow laws. His mother, Mattie, died when he was six years old, and his father, Arthur Sr., a parks police officer, raised him and his younger brother Johnnie with strict discipline and unwavering emphasis on education and dignity. Young Arthur learned to play tennis on the segregated public courts in Richmond's Brook Field playground, a park for Black residents adjacent to his family's home. He was coached by Dr. Robert Walter Johnson, a Black physician who also mentored Althea Gibson, and who taught his students not only how to play tennis but how to conduct themselves with grace under the intense pressure of competing in a white-dominated sport.
Ashe attended UCLA on a tennis scholarship, winning the NCAA singles championship in 1965. He became the first Black player selected for the United States Davis Cup team and went on to become one of the most successful Davis Cup players in American history. His breakthrough came in 1968, when he won the inaugural US Open at Forest Hills as an amateur, defeating Tom Okker of the Netherlands in the final. It was a landmark moment: a Black man had won the most prestigious tennis tournament in America during the most turbulent year in modern American history -- the year of the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.
His greatest victory on the court came at Wimbledon in 1975, when he defeated the heavily favored Jimmy Connors in the final. Connors was younger, louder, and more powerful, but Ashe dismantled him with a masterclass of tactical brilliance, changing speeds, slicing the ball low, and refusing to engage in Connors's preferred baseline brawl. The victory was not just a tennis triumph but a philosophical statement: intelligence, preparation, and composure could overcome brute force. Ashe suffered a heart attack in 1979 at the age of thirty-six and underwent multiple bypass surgeries that effectively ended his playing career.
In 1988, Ashe was diagnosed with HIV, which he had contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery. He kept the diagnosis private until 1992, when USA Today threatened to publish the story, forcing him to hold a press conference that became one of the most poignant moments in sports history. In his remaining months, Ashe channeled his energy into AIDS awareness, founding the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. He also completed his monumental three-volume history of Black athletes in America, A Hard Road to Glory. He died in February 1993 at the age of forty-nine. His statue stands on Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, and the main stadium at the US Open bears his name. The following 25 quotes capture the wisdom, courage, and moral clarity of Arthur Ashe.
Here are 25 Arthur Ashe quotes on courage, tennis, and social justice.
Who Was Arthur Ashe?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | July 10, 1943, Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Sport | Tennis |
| Known For | First Black man to win the US Open (1968), Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975); civil rights activist and humanitarian |
Key Achievements and Episodes
Breaking the Color Barrier — 1968 US Open Victory
In 1968, Arthur Ashe became the first Black man to win the US Open, defeating Tom Okker in the final at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York. As an amateur in a newly open era, Ashe could not accept the $14,000 prize money, which went to the runner-up instead. The victory was monumental not just for tennis but for the civil rights movement, as Ashe had grown up in segregated Richmond, Virginia, where he was denied access to public tennis courts because of his race. His triumph opened doors for generations of Black athletes in a sport that had long been exclusively white.
The 1975 Wimbledon Final — Defeating the Unbeatable Connors
On July 5, 1975, Arthur Ashe faced the brash, heavily favored Jimmy Connors in the Wimbledon final. At 31, Ashe was considered past his prime and was given virtually no chance against the 22-year-old Connors. Using a brilliant tactical plan that mixed slow, looping shots with sudden pace changes, Ashe dismantled Connors's rhythm and won in four sets. The victory made him the first Black man to win Wimbledon and remains one of the greatest tactical upsets in tennis history.
Activism and Legacy — Fighting Beyond the Court
After contracting HIV through a blood transfusion during heart surgery in 1983, Ashe went public with his diagnosis in 1992 and spent his remaining months advocating for AIDS awareness and education. He founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and continued his lifelong activism for racial justice and education. He died on February 6, 1993, at the age of 49. The main stadium at the US Open — Arthur Ashe Stadium — was named in his honor in 1997, the largest tennis venue in the world.
Arthur Ashe Quotes on Courage and Character
Arthur Ashe's courage extended far beyond the tennis court, as he navigated the deeply segregated world of American sports with quiet dignity and moral conviction. Growing up in Richmond, Virginia, during the Jim Crow era, Ashe was barred from playing on public tennis courts reserved for white players, forcing him to travel to other cities simply to compete. He won the inaugural US Open in 1968 as an amateur and unpaid Army lieutenant, becoming the first Black man to win a Grand Slam singles title. His character was shaped by his father's strict discipline and the lessons he learned from Dr. Robert Walter Johnson, who mentored young Black tennis players and insisted they maintain composure in the face of racial hostility.
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."
Widely attributed, consistent with remarks in his speeches and writings
"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."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, with Arnold Rampersad, Alfred A. Knopf, 1993
"One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation."
Widely attributed, quoted in Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault, 2018
"I have tried to keep on with my striving because this is the only hope I have of ever achieving anything worthwhile and lasting."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing."
Off the Court, autobiography, 1981
"Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner."
Advice to young athletes, widely quoted
Arthur Ashe Quotes on Tennis and Sport
Ashe's 1975 Wimbledon victory over Jimmy Connors stands as one of the greatest tactical upsets in tennis history. Facing the brash, hard-hitting Connors, the 31-year-old Ashe employed a strategy of soft shots, slices, and changes of pace that bewildered his younger opponent. The victory made Ashe the first Black man to win the Wimbledon singles title, and his composed celebration -- a simple raised fist -- captured his dignified approach to competition and racial barrier-breaking. Throughout his career, Ashe used tennis as a platform to advocate for social justice, including his vocal opposition to apartheid in South Africa.
"Tennis taught me so many lessons in life. One of the most important is that nothing good comes easy."
Off the Court, autobiography, 1981
"You are never really playing an opponent. You are playing yourself, your own highest standards."
Widely attributed, consistent with Ashe's philosophy of competition
"I kept the ball low and made Connors play my game, not his."
Reflecting on his 1975 Wimbledon final victory, interview with the BBC
"There is a synthesis of sport, personal character, and social obligation that I believe an athlete must aspire to."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance."
Off the Court, autobiography, 1981
"I have always tried to be true to myself, to pick those battles I felt were important."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome."
Widely attributed, quoted in sports motivational literature
Arthur Ashe Quotes on Social Justice and Race
Ashe was arrested in 1985 while protesting apartheid outside the South African embassy in Washington, D.C., and he campaigned tirelessly for the rights of Haitian refugees and people living with HIV/AIDS. After contracting HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery in 1983, Ashe went public with his diagnosis in 1992 when USA Today threatened to break the story. He spent his final year advocating for AIDS awareness, founding the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and delivering a powerful address to the United Nations. His famous statement that being Black in America was harder than having HIV challenged the nation to confront its deepest inequities.
"Having HIV is not the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with. Being a Black man in America is."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"I accepted my responsibility as a role model when I realized I didn't have a choice."
Off the Court, autobiography, 1981
"We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy."
Speech against apartheid in South Africa, 1973
"I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments. That's not what's important to me. I want to be remembered for what I've done off the court."
Interview with ABC News, 1992
Arthur Ashe Quotes on Life and Legacy
Arthur Ashe died on February 6, 1993, at the age of 49, but his legacy continues to shape sports and social justice. The USTA National Tennis Center's main stadium was renamed Arthur Ashe Stadium in 1997, making it the largest tennis venue in the world and a permanent tribute to his groundbreaking contributions. His three-volume work "A Hard Road to Glory" documented the history of African American athletes, and the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, presented annually at the ESPYs, honors individuals who embody his spirit of perseverance and service. Ashe's life demonstrated that true greatness is measured not by trophies but by the impact one has on the lives of others.
"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."
Press conference announcing his HIV diagnosis, April 1992
"My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity."
Days of Grace: A Memoir, 1993
"We must believe in the power of education. We must respect just laws."
Commencement address, quoted in Arthur Ashe: A Life by Raymond Arsenault, 2018
"Every time you wake up, ask yourself, 'What good things am I going to do today?'"
Advice to his daughter Camera, quoted in Days of Grace, 1993
Frequently Asked Questions About Arthur Ashe
What is Arthur Ashe's most famous quote about starting where you are?
Arthur Ashe's most widely quoted statement is 'Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.' This quote encapsulates his philosophy of taking practical action regardless of circumstances. Ashe applied this principle throughout his life, from breaking racial barriers as the first Black man to win the US Open in 1968 and Wimbledon in 1975, to his activism for civil rights, HIV/AIDS awareness, and education. The quote has become one of the most shared motivational phrases in the English language, appearing in classrooms, offices, and self-help literature worldwide.
How did Arthur Ashe contract HIV and what was his response?
Arthur Ashe contracted HIV through a blood transfusion during heart bypass surgery in 1983, before blood supplies were routinely screened for the virus. He was diagnosed as HIV-positive in 1988 but kept his condition private until USA Today threatened to publish the story in April 1992, forcing him to make a public announcement. Rather than retreating, Ashe founded the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and became a prominent advocate for HIV/AIDS awareness and research, using his remaining time to fight for the cause until his death on February 6, 1993, at age 49.
What barriers did Arthur Ashe break in professional tennis?
Arthur Ashe was the first Black man to win the US Open (1968), the Australian Open (1970), and Wimbledon (1975), breaking racial barriers in a sport that had been almost exclusively white. He was also the first Black player selected for the US Davis Cup team in 1963. Growing up in segregated Richmond, Virginia, Ashe was barred from playing on public courts reserved for white players and had to travel to other cities for competitive matches. His Wimbledon victory over heavily favored Jimmy Connors in 1975 is considered one of the greatest tactical performances in tennis history.
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