Arthur Ashe

Date of Birth: July 10, 1943

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Date of Death: February 6, 1993

Biography

Arthur Robert Ashe Jr. was an American professional tennis player, born on July 10, 1943, in Richmond, Virginia. He is acclaimed for being the first black player selected to the United States Davis Cup team and the only black man ever to win the singles title at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. Ashe’s career was marked by his graceful demeanor, sportsmanship, and commitment to social justice issues. Ashe began playing tennis at a young age under the guidance of his father, who was a caretaker at a local playground. His talent was quickly recognized, and he received a tennis scholarship to UCLA, where he won the NCAA singles and doubles titles in 1965. His professional career took off after he joined the U.S. Davis Cup team in 1963. Ashe won his first Grand Slam title at the 1968 US Open and continued to excel by winning the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975. Beyond his achievements on the court, Ashe was an outspoken advocate for civil rights and social justice. He used his platform to address issues such as apartheid in South Africa and the rights of people with HIV/AIDS. Ashe was diagnosed with HIV in the early 1980s, likely contracted from a blood transfusion during heart surgery. He went public with his diagnosis in 1992 and dedicated his final years to raising awareness about the disease. Arthur Ashe passed away on February 6, 1993, from AIDS-related pneumonia. His legacy lives on through the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and the Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.

5 Interesting Facts about Arthur Ashe

1. Arthur Ashe was the first African American man to win the US Open, Australian Open, and Wimbledon.

2. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously in 1993.

3. Ashe published a three-volume book titled “A Hard Road to Glory,” which details the history of African-American athletes.

4. He was a co-founder of the National Junior Tennis League, which aimed to make tennis more accessible to inner-city youth.

5. The main stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, is named Arthur Ashe Stadium in his honor.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Arthur Ashe

1. “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

2. “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.”

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

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

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