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Having grown up in a segregated environment in the south I know what it’s like to be stepped on, I know what it’s like also to see some black hero do well in the face of adversity.

Arthur Ashe

I don’t want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments. That’s no contribution to society. Tennis was purely selfish; that was for me.
ARTHUR ASHE

Accomplishment Myself Remember Selfish Sports
You’ve got to make a lot of sacrifices and spend a lot of time if you really want to achieve with this sport, or in any sport, or in anything truly worthwhile.
ARTHUR ASHE

Achievement Sacrifice Sports Success Time True Worth Yourself
I have always drawn strength from being close to home.
ARTHUR ASHE

Home Myself Sports Strength
You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that.
ARTHUR ASHE

Equality Learning Life Sports Yourself
You come to realize that life is short, and you have to step up. Don’t feel sorry for me. Much is expected of those who are strong.
ARTHUR ASHE

Expectation Feeling Life Sorry Strong Yourself
I strongly believe the black culture spends too much time, energy and effort raising, praising, and teasing our black children about the dubious glories of professional sports.
ARTHUR ASHE

Believe Black Children Glory Myself Ourselves Professional Sports Strong Time
I may not be walking with you all the way, or even much of the way, as I walk with you now.
ARTHUR ASHE

Myself Sports Walk Yourself
There is a terrific apprehension among some people that blacks will take over the sport… It will create problems because their behavior, speech and dress is just a completely different culture.
ARTHUR ASHE

Black Creation Different People Problem Sports
I strongly believe the black culture spends too much time, energy and effort raising, praising, and teasing our black children about the dubious glories of professional sports.
ARTHUR ASHE

Believe Black Children Glory Myself Ourselves Professional Sports Strong Time
I don’t care who you are, you’re going to choke in certain matches. You get to a point where your legs don’t move and you can’t take a deep breath. You start to hit the ball about a yard wide, instead of inches.
ARTHUR ASHE

Breathe Care Myself Start Weakness Yourself
The best way to judge a life is to ask yourself, “Did I make the best use of the time I had?
ARTHUR ASHE

Best Judgement Life Myself Time
In America you’re conditioned to regard everything as a contest. You have to make the Ten Best Dressed List, win this, win that. It drives me nuts sometimes. Who cares, for Christ’s sake?
ARTHUR ASHE

Care Competition Fashion Success Waste Yourself
Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.
ARTHUR ASHE

Destination Important Inspirational Journey Motivational Success
Sometimes, a defeat can be more beautiful and satisfying than certain victories. The English have a point in insisting that it matters not who won or lost, but how you played the game.
ARTHUR ASHE

Beautiful Defeat Game Lost Play Satisfaction Victory Win Yourself
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

Fall Feeling Friendship Life Myself Praise Sick Smile Yourself
The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.
ARTHUR ASHE

Athlete Attitude Ideal Lose Mental Sports
I keep sailing on in this middle passage. I am sailing into the wind and the dark. But I am doing my best to keep my boat steady and my sails full.
ARTHUR ASHE

Darkness Funny Inspirational Myself Wind
Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.
ARTHUR ASHE

Discover Goodness Myself Sports
You’ve got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.
ARTHUR ASHE

Important Inspirational Life Lose Motivation Win Yourself
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

Fall Feeling Friendship Life Myself Praise Sick Smile Yourself
I spent many, many hours in libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.
ARTHUR ASHE

Last Library Myself Time
If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?
ARTHUR ASHE

Independent Life Play Walk Yourself
I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do.
ARTHUR ASHE

Early Fun Myself Start
One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.
ARTHUR ASHE

Confidence Important Inspirational Motivational Oneself Preparation Success
Let me put it this way: I think Republicans tend to keep the ball in play, Democrats go for broke.
ARTHUR ASHE

Democracy Play Politics Sports Thinking
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

Brave Generosity Kindness Price Service True
Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner.
ARTHUR ASHE

Appearance Confidence Feeling Win Yourself

Having grown up in a segregated environment in the south I know what it’s like to be stepped on, I know what it’s like also to see some black hero do well in the face of adversity.

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Having grown up in a segregated environment in the south I know what it’s like to be stepped on, I know what it’s like also to see some black hero do well in the face of adversity.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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