10 Best Table Tennis Bats Uk

Best Table Tennis Bats Uk in 2023

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African American Male Excels at Tennis

Arthur Ashe: the very name conjures up images of tennis excellence. In fact, Arthur was one of the world's best African-American male tennis players during the seventies. It has been said that 'while Arthur defined tennis, it never defined him'.

The Arthur Ashe Story

Arthur Ashe: the very name conjures up images of tennis excellence. In fact, Arthur was one of the world's best African-American male tennis players during the seventies. It has been said that 'while Arthur defined tennis, it never defined him'. He was a man of many dimensions and many talents.

Born, Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. on July 10, 1943 in Richmond, Virginia to Mattie and Arthur Ashe, Sr., Arthur never forgot his roots. Mattie Ashe exposed her young son to music and books. Young Arthur loved his mother very much, and immensely enjoyed the interest and nurturing she gave him. Therefore, he was deeply saddened by her sudden death from a heart ailment, when he was only six years old.

One day in the early 1950's, young Arthur watched intently as Ron Charity, the greatest black male tennis player in his hometown of Richmond, practiced on the courts. Noticing the youngster's interest, Mr. Charity encouraged him to learn how to play. From that day forward Arthur became increasingly immersed in tennis.

Arthur Ashe, Sr. instilled in his son the importance of having a good reputation. He encouraged Arthur to be a good, honest man, a man of integrity. Thus, Arthur learned to be a gentleman, both on and off the court. Contrary to other players like John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors, he rarely if ever lost his temper or showed any signs of emotion, even when he was losing a game. Tennis fans could only get a glimpse of Arthur's emotions when he adjusted his glasses, which he often did during tennis matches. He was the epitome of 'cool'.

This 'coolness' caused many people to think that Arthur was cold, but he preferred to think of himself as being aloof or distant, not cold. This 'distant' attitude was his way of handling his mother's death. Tennis, along with books and music, was another way for young Arthur to deal with losing his mother at such an early age.

However, Ashe faced many obstacles to becoming a professional tennis player. Not the least of his troubles was the prejudiced attitudes he was forced to deal with during tournaments, because of his ethnic background. Thus, tennis, a sport previously dominated by whites, had a profound effect on Arthur's self-esteem. But he never allowed this to affect his expertise on the court.

In spite of the many challenges he faced, Arthur was able to climb the ladder of success early on. At the age of 14, he was already playing nationally. Following this accomplishment, Ashe' career took flight. From his Number 5 junior ranking in 1958, to his Davis Cup membership in 1963, Arthur was well on his way to becoming the first and only African-American to be ranked as the worlds' Number 1 player.

His many other achievements include: 11 Grand Slam titles (5 Australian Opens, 2 US Opens, 2 French Opens, and 2 Wimbledon championships); NCAA singles and doubles championships in 1965; named Player of the Year in the Associated Tennis Profile, 1975; named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, 1992; inducted into 4 Halls of Fame (UCLA Sports, Virginia Sports, Eastern Tennis Association, and US Professional Tennis Association); and co-author of 2 books ("Days of Grace, A Memoir" and "Arthur Ashe on Tennis").

Ashe' tennis prowess is one all tennis buffs could learn from. He knew how to mix and match his strokes to throw his opponents off guard and undermine their confidence. It was this very strategy that gave him his first Wimbledon championship in 1975 against Jimmy Connors. During the first four games of the match, it seemed as if Connors had Ashe beat, however, during the fifth game, Arthur found ways to confuse Jimmy, and ultimately won the match.

On February 20, 1977, Arthur married the love of his life, Mrs. Jeanne Moutoussamy Ashe. The Ashe's were good friends with former UN Ambassador Andrew Young and his wife. In fact it was Young who married the couple. In 1986 to Arthur and Jeanne's union, a daughter, Camera, was born. Ashe and his wife, along with Camera enjoyed several years together.

However, the couple's happiness was to be short-lived. Unfortunately, for Jeanne and Camera, and especially Arthur, he would later contract the AIDS virus. The virus was contracted through a faulty blood transfusion during his second heart surgery. After that fateful operation, life was never the same for the Ashe's. But Arthur remained stoic and active until the end, championing tennis causes, taking on political platforms, and in general acting as a catalyst for change.

In 1980, Mr. Ashe retired from professional tennis. Following his retirement, he became an HBO Sports commentator, as well as a columnist for both the Washington Post and the Tennis magazine. He also published a three-volume work called, "A Hard Road to Glory", which was later adapted for television and earned him an Emmy. Additionally, Mr. Ashe became Captain of the Davis Cup Team. During 1985, Arthur founded various charitable organizations including: The National Junior Tennis League; The Athletic Connection; and The Safe Passage Foundation.

Due to a combination of Arthur's inherited heart problems and his virus, he eventually succumbed on February 6, 1993. It was uncanny that Arthur's passing occurred while Camera was only six, the same age he was when his mother passed.

Just June 16 of last year, Arthur's widow, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe opened the Arthur Ashe Tennis and Education Center in East Falls, Pennsylvania to honor his legacy.

Arthur Ashe paved the way for other black male tennis players such as James Blake and Mali Vai Washington, just as Althea Gibson had for other black female tennis players, 10 years before him. To me, Arthur embodied what a professional African-American tennis player should be, male or female. He was one of my first tennis inspirations. His approach to tennis and life were immeasurable.