Quotes by Arthur Ashe

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.

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

Believe me, most people resist change, even when it promises to be for the better. But change will come, and if you acknowledge this simple but indisputable fact of life, and understand that you must adjust to all change, then you will have a head start.

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, whe

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

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 on.

Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you’re behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.

The best way to judge a life is to ask yourself, "Did I make the best use of the time I had?

You’ve got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.

Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

I have always drawn strength from being close to home.

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

I accepted the face that as much as I want to lead others, and love to be around other people, in some essential way, I am something of a loner.

Later, I discovered there was a lot of work to being good in tennis.

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

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

You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing."

Do not feel sorry for me if I am gone.

I'm always optimistic, no matter how difficult life can be.

I'm always upbeat.

Let me put it this way: I think Republicans tend to keep the ball in play, Democrats go for broke.

True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

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

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

I'm walking past a thousand people who don't have the chance to do what I have had the chance to do.

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

True heroism is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.

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

If you want to be remembered as a great player, if you want to leave your mark, you can't just play the game. You have to leave something behind that will last longer than your name.

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.

When I was born, the Lord laid out for me a very clear path. I made some mistakes in my life, but I always tried to stay on that path.

I have tried to manage the best I could. And it is a good feeling to have known that you've put everything into it.

I may not be walking with you all the way, or even much of the way, as I walk with you now.

To those who are given much, much is expected.

Success is a journey, not a destination.

Do not feel entitled to anything you did not sweat and struggle for.

We must believe in ourselves or no one else will believe in us.

I have always drawn strength from being close to home and knowing the people I grew up with, the people who really know you.

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

I accepted the face that as much as I wanted to lead others, I have to begin by leading myself.

To achieve greatness, start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

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

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

Love has a particular trait: it can take any shape and bring happiness without boundaries.

I have tried to keep on with my striving because this is the only hope I have of ever achieving anything worthwhile and lasting.

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

A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.

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

If you're going to play the game properly, you'd better know every rule.

The most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle.

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.

Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.

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

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

You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.

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.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can