Quote

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

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Arthur Ashe
Age: 49 †
Born: 1943
Born: July 10
Died: 1993
Died: February 6
Military Officer
Tennis Player
Richmond
Virginia
Arthur Robert Ashe
Jr.
Start
Breath
Point
Breaths
Matches
Moving
Balls
Yard
Art
Legs
Choke
Certain
Wide
Yards
Care
Deep
Inches
Take
Instead
Certainty
Going
Move
Ball

More quotes by Arthur Ashe

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There's no better stage than the U.S. Open for me
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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.
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My potential is more than can be expressed within the bounds of my race or ethnic identity.
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Always have the situation under control, even if losing. Never betray an inward sense of defeat.
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You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing.
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I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments.
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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.
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You really are never playing an opponent. You are playing yourself.
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I have become convinced that we blacks spend too much time on the playing field and too little time in libraries.
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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.
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This is my career highlight. Getting to the fourth round in the U.S. Open in my first year in the U.S. Open and first year on the tour.
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Life is like a tennis game. You can't win without serving.
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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?'
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If one's reputation is a possession, then of all my possessions, my reputation means most to me.
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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?
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I would like to flood South Africa with black personages of all sorts of persuasions: writers, educators, businessmen, you name it. If you are black and have any clout at all, I would like to see you go to South Africa and look for yourself and come back and try to use the tools that you have at your command to try and help the brothers down there.
Arthur Ashe
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If I don't ask Why me? after my victories, I cannot ask Why me? after my setbacks and disasters.
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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.
Arthur Ashe
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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.
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A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.
Arthur Ashe