43 Inspiring Quotes by Arthur Ashe

One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.

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.

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.

We must reach out our hand in friendship and dignity both to those who would befriend us and those who would be our enemy.

From what we get, we can make a living; what we give, however, makes a life.

We must believe in the power of education. We must respect just laws. We must love ourselves, our old and or young, our women as well as our men.

When we were together, I loved you deeply and you gave me so much happiness I can never repay you.

My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity.

The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.

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.

You learn about equality in history and civics, but you find out life is not really like that.

When bright young minds can't afford college, America pays the price.

Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance.

There is a syndrome in sports called 'paralysis by analysis.'

I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do.

Do not feel sorry for me if I am gone.

I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments.

A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.

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.

Some folks call tennis a rich people's sport or a white person's game. I guess I started too early because I just thought it was something fun to do. Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis. 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.

A couple of times a day I sit quietly and visualize my body fighting the AIDS virus. It's the same as me sitting and seeing myself hit the perfect serve. I did that often when I was an athlete.

Fear isn't an excuse to come to a standstill. It's the impetus to step up and strike.

If I don't ask "Why me?" after my victories, I cannot ask "Why me?" after my setbacks and disasters.

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.

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.

We blacks look for leadership in men and women of such youth and inexperience, as well as poverty of education and character, that it is no wonder that we sometimes seem rudderless.... We see basketball players and pop singers as possible role models, when nothing could be further, in most cases, from their capacities.

Someone once told me that God figured that I was a pretty good juggler. I could keep a lot of balls in the air at one time. So He said, "Let's see if he can juggle another one.

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.

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?'

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.

Life is like a tennis game. You can't win without serving.

I spent many, many hours in...libraries. Libraries became courts of last resort, as it were.

You really are never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself.

I have become convinced that we blacks spend too much time on the playing field and too little time in libraries.

Seven out of 10 black faces you see on television are athletes. The black athlete carries the image of the black community. He carries the cross, in a way, until blacks make inroads in other dimensions.

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?

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.

If I didn't play tennis I probably would have to see a psychiatrist.

Every time you win, it diminishes the fear a little bit. You never really cancel the fear of losing; you keep challenging it.

Always have the situation under control, even if losing. Never betray an inward sense of defeat.

I have always drawn strength from being close to home.