Arthur Ashe

Arthur Ashe is an American tennis and lifestyle brand dedicated to the legacy of legendary tennis player, civil rights champion, AIDS activist, youth advocate, and American hero Arthur Ashe.

Born and raised in segregated Richmond, Virginia, Ashe learned tennis on the municipal tennis courts where his father was caretaker. He received a tennis scholarship to UCLA before becoming the first Black player ever selected for the United States Davis Cup team in 1963 and winning both the NCAA singles and doubles titles for UCLA in 1965.

Ashe shocked the world in 1968, defeating Tom Okker in the finals of the U.S. Open 14–12, 5–7, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, becoming the first Black man and only amateur ever to win the Open. He won the Australian Open in 1970 and Wimbledon in 1975 — making history again as the first Black man to win those championships. Aside from his Grand Slam titles, Ashe also chalked up four Davis Cup victories in 1963, 1968, 1969, and 1970, and beat Björn Borg to win the season-ending championship WCT Finals in 1975. Throughout his career, Arthur Ashe was an exemplar of sportsmanship and etiquette.

A lifelong activist, Ashe changed the world’s perceptions about HIV and AIDS and broke the color barrier in apartheid South Africa. He was arrested for protesting against racial discrimination outside The White House and addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations. Through it all, Ashe was known for his style and cool demeanor on and off the court.

The Arthur Ashe brand carries the torch of Ashe’s legacy: his style, sportsmanship, determination, humility, eloquence, and will to win — as well as his activism and commitment to social justice. A portion of all proceeds from the Arthur Ashe brand go to the Arthur Ashe Legacy Fund at UCLA and to the Social Change Fund United.