'I don't want to be remembered for my tennis accomplishments,' he once said. 'That's no contribution to society. That [tennis] was purely selfish; that was for me.'
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- I don’t want to be remembered for tennis; it was selfish, not a societal contribution.
- In plain terms
- He sees his sport as a personal pursuit, not a public good.
- What can you take from it?
- Personal achievements may feel selfish without broader impact.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you measure societal contribution?
- Can personal excellence inspire others?
Another view
May undervalue the inspirational value of sport.
More from Arthur Ashe
'Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental …
Permalink to quote #18 'A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions.'
Permalink to quote #20 'The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.'
Permalink to quote #17
Related quotes
Bakunin: Left to themselves people are noble, generous, uncorrupted, they'd create a completely new kind of society if only people weren't so blind, stupid and…
Tom StoppardTom Stoppard quote #53 Law, in its most general and comprehensive sense, signifies a rule of action; and is applied indiscriminately to all kinds of action, whether animate, or inani…
William BlackstoneWilliam Blackstone quote #1 Freedom is a myth.
Patrick McGoohanPatrick McGoohan quote #1