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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

Racism is not an excuse to not do the best you can.
ARTHUR ASHE

Best Inspirational Race Yourself
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
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
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
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

Bad Failure Life Myself Sports
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

Dignity Enemy Friendship Hands Ourselves
If one’s reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.
ARTHUR ASHE

Appearance Mean Myself Oneself Reputation Respect
It is not just the more talented player who wins. Some players may try a little harder.
ARTHUR ASHE

Hard Work Play Success Talent Try Win
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
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
The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.
ARTHUR ASHE

Athlete Attitude Ideal Lose Mental Sports
Martina’s like the old Green Bay Packers. You know exactly what she’s going to do, but there isn’t a thing you can do about it.
ARTHUR ASHE

Herself Old Strong Yourself
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

Dignity Enemy Friendship Hands Ourselves
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
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

Challenge Fear Lose Time Win Yourself
I’m learning to use others’ weaknesses. I don’t hammer a man’s soft spot constantly, because he may strengthen it. I just save it as a trump up my sleeve for moments when I really need a point.
ARTHUR ASHE

Learning Men Moments Myself Need Strength Weakness
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

Black Face Growth Hard Time Myself
Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.
ARTHUR ASHE

Discover Goodness Myself Sports
Martina’s like the old Green Bay Packers. You know exactly what she’s going to do, but there isn’t a thing you can do about it.
ARTHUR ASHE

Herself Old Strong Yourself
From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.
ARTHUR ASHE

Generosity Inspirational Kindness Life Teaching
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
It doesn’t have to glitter to be gold.
ARTHUR ASHE

Appearance Gold Myself One Liner
Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.
ARTHUR ASHE

Destination Important Inspirational Journey Motivational Success
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
If I didn’t play tennis I probably would have to see a psychiatrist.
ARTHUR ASHE

Mental Myself Play See Sports
I know I could never forgive myself if I elected to live without humane purpose, without trying to help the poor and unfortunate, without recognizing that perhaps the purest joy in life comes with trying to help others.
ARTHUR ASHE

Election Forgiveness Generosity Help Human Joy Live Myself Poor Purpose Recognition Try Unfortunate
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

If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

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If you’re paid before you walk on the court, what’s the point in playing as if your life depended on it?

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