This month we will celebrate Arthur Ashe's birthday and what better way to remember him by than with some famous and entertaining tennis quotes. Arthur Ashe was not just a great tennis player, but he was also a remarkable human being. We dedicate these 12 tennis quotes to him.

1. "Tennis belongs to the individualistic past - a hero, or at most a pair of friends or lovers, against the world." ~ Jacques Barzun

2. "Though your game is hardly the best, you can fray your opponent's nerves, by methodically bouncing the ball, at least ten times before your serves." ~ Arnold J. Zarett

3. "Tennis is a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility." ~ Billie Jean King

4. "I'll let the racket do the talking." ~ John McEnroe

5. "If you don't practice you don't deserve to win." ~ Andre Agassi

6. "Why has slamming a ball with a racquet become so obsessive a pleasure for so many of us? It seems clear to me that a primary attraction of the sport is the opportunity it gives to release aggression physically without being arrested for felonious assault." ~ Nat Hentoff

7. "Life is like a game of tennis; the player who serves well seldom loses." ~ Author Unknown

8. "If you can react the same way to winning and losing, that's a big accomplishment. That quality is important because it stays with you the rest of your life, and there's going to be a life after tennis that's a lot longer than your tennis life." ~ Chris Evert

9. "What is the single most important quality in a tennis champion? I would have to say desire, staying in there and winning matches when you are not playing that well." ~ John McEnroe

10. "In the complete overall history of tennis, I figure I'll be worth a sentence or two. That's why my place in the all-time rankings means so very little to me -- because I know I won't be anybody's number one, and it's that same old thing. If you're not number one, then what does it really matter?" ~ Billie Jean King

11. "Tennis and golf are best played, not watched." ~ Roger Kahn

12. "Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome." ~ Arthur Ashe

On July 10th, when we celebrate Arthur Ashe's birthday, pick up a racket and play some tennis. Then sit back and reflect on these tennis quotes and think about how they aren't just relevant to life on the court, but are relevant to everyday life in general.

---

For more sports quotes, check out the popular sports quotes section of Famous-Quotes-And-Quotations.com, a website that specializes in 'Top 10' lists of quotations in dozens of categories.