WIMBLEDON, England – On July 5, 1975, Arthur Ashe, a significant underdog, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first and, to this day, only Black man to claim the Wimbledon men`s singles championship. He overcame the reigning champion, Jimmy Connors, who had reached the final without dropping a single set. Half a century later, this stunning upset is recalled as much for the unexpected strategy Ashe employed as for the final outcome.
This pivotal match on Centre Court featured the composed, intellectual 32-year-old Ashe against the aggressive, younger 23-year-old left-hander, Connors. A layer of tension was added by a recent legal dispute; Connors had filed a lawsuit in June 1975, accusing Ashe, then president of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), of defamation in a letter critical of Connors` decision not to play for the U.S. Davis Cup team.
Fifty years after that memorable Gentlemen`s Singles Final, three prominent figures in the tennis world share their perspectives on how Ashe, winner of three major titles, managed to defeat Connors, who won eight. They delve into how Ashe deliberately abandoned his signature power game, dictated the rhythm of the match, and ultimately dominated Connors with a score of 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4. They also reflect on Ashe`s profound and lasting legacy following his passing from AIDS-related pneumonia at the age of 49.
Reflections from Tennis Figures
Featured insights are from Chris Eubanks, a current professional player, ESPN commentator, and 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinalist; Richard Evans, a British journalist, author, tennis historian, and friend of Ashe; and Stan Smith, winner of the 1971 US Open and 1972 Wimbledon, and Ashe`s Davis Cup teammate and friend.
Richard Evans:
It was truly a privilege to witness that match because we were all astonished, not just that Arthur Ashe won – though he wasn`t the favorite against Jimmy Connors – but by *how* he won. It was the most extraordinary Wimbledon final I`ve ever seen, and I`ve seen quite a few. It was genuinely about Arthur understanding exactly how he needed to play to beat Jimmy Connors, who at that time many considered invincible.
Chris Eubanks:
Most players step onto the court, especially in a final, ready to come out aggressively, playing to their strengths. He adopted a completely different strategy.
Stan Smith:
Jimmy had won in `74, beating Ken Rosewall in the final. He was riding high, probably as confident as he`d ever been, which makes what happened even more remarkable.
Richard Evans:
Charlie Pasarell [Ashe`s friend and fellow player]; Arthur; another player named Freddy McNair; and Donald Dell, who was Arthur`s best friend and agent, went to the Playboy Club the night before the Wimbledon final. They sat down and meticulously planned a strategy because they all agreed and knew that if Arthur went out on Centre Court playing his usual free-flowing, hard-hitting style, he would lose. That`s what Connors thrived on. Jimmy was a smaller guy [5-foot-10] and couldn`t generate much power himself; he needed to use his opponent`s power. So they decided, `Okay, we won`t give him any.` To our utter amazement, Arthur began the match playing soft shots, executing drop shots, hitting lobs, just pushing the ball over the net. Connors had nothing to work with.
Stan Smith:
You can certainly think about a strategy, visualize it working, and dream of implementing it, but actually going out there and executing that plan was quite incredible. You need the specific skill set to do that. Many players might think of such a strategy but couldn`t apply it. Arthur was able to, using excellent touch and feel, which wasn`t typically his game, and Jimmy was completely caught off guard.
I think he was just utterly perplexed by what was happening. He was positioned far behind the baseline, anticipating a big serve. Arthur was slicing the serve wide, forcing Jimmy to return from deep and to the side, essentially leaving the entire court open for Arthur to hit into. I`m sure Connors expected Arthur to change or revert to his usual strategy. He probably remains shocked by how it unfolded and the manner of his defeat.
Richard Evans:
The most extraordinary aspect of it was that you can imagine, in any sport, asking a champion star to play the most crucial match of their life and completely alter their style. Many would say it`s impossible. Yet, Arthur stuck to it. He even maintained the strategy when Connors staged a comeback and won the third set, a moment where many players would panic and revert to their natural game. He didn`t. With pushes, slices, and drop shots, Jimmy faltered again. It was the most brilliant tactical match – arguably, sporting moment – I have ever witnessed.
Stan Smith:
You genuinely haven`t seen anything quite like that – a complete shift in style of play, not just strategy, for someone who didn`t typically play that way effectively. And I never saw Arthur play like that again in other matches we played or that I saw him play on tour. It was truly a one-off, which is pretty amazing.
Richard Evans:
The entire crowd was bewildered but pleased, as Arthur was significantly more popular than Jimmy, who had his fans, but they couldn`t influence the match. Arthur and I discussed the match extensively over time. Winning Wimbledon was his greatest ambition as a tennis player; it was the pinnacle of the sport he had been raised to believe in. It would have been a real shame if his career had concluded without him being able to say, `I am Wimbledon champion.` He absolutely deserved to be Wimbledon champion, and he truly earned it.
Stan Smith:
I think he was proud of how he managed to keep Jimmy so off-balance. Looking back on it, even 10 years later, Arthur was even more pleased with the way it happened and the fact that the lawsuit essentially disappeared [Connors dropped it soon after the Wimbledon loss]. I don`t think he harbored any significant negative feelings towards Jimmy afterward. That wasn`t his nature. In fact, one of his great strengths was his ability to not hold grudges. He understood that people had different motivations for their thoughts and actions, and he tried to accept that, move forward, and continue trying to improve the world.
Chris Eubanks:
I believe it was a monumental historical moment. Obviously, his U.S. Open win in `68, signifying the beginning of the Open era, was a major historical milestone, but everyone recognizes the immense prestige associated with Wimbledon. It perfectly aligns with the reputation and legacy of someone who carried himself with Arthur Ashe`s dignity and class. It feels poetic that he was able to return and win it seven years after his first Grand Slam. Such a historical event involving such a historical figure feels fittingly poetic – an American winning the U.S. Open and then also winning here at Wimbledon on these sacred grounds. It was incredible, and it`s truly an honor to be able to follow, even loosely, in his footsteps.
Stan Smith:
It makes me feel sad that he isn`t here to be able to celebrate this 50th anniversary of his title.
Chris Eubanks:
I think certain names will forever live on throughout time. Even younger generations who might not know much about Arthur and his legacy will ask, `Who is Arthur Ashe, and why is the largest tennis stadium in the world named after him?` Then, I think once you see everything he accomplished on the court, everything he achieved off the court as a humanitarian, and the life he lived, it demonstrates that success isn`t solely about the number of Grand Slam titles you win. It`s about the impact you make on the sport and on the world. I believe that impact will continue to be felt by tennis players and people globally for many years to come.
Stan Smith:
Arthur was an exceptionally intelligent man. He stayed informed about current events and certainly possessed a deep passion for helping others. He actively engaged with the apartheid issue, heart health issues, and AIDS issues. He was a wonderful friend, possessed a good sense of humor, and often made very witty remarks. His favorite T-shirt proclaimed `Citizen of the World,` and he truly viewed his life from a broad perspective, which was perhaps the most remarkable thing about him.
Chris Eubanks:
I think what made him unique was that calm and stoic demeanor he displayed even in the heat of intense competition. He never allowed his emotions to get the better of him, regardless of how stressful the situation or what kind of adversity he faced on or off the court. He was consistently respectful, a true gentleman, always the role model you`d want for children to look up to, while still being a champion in his own right. He demonstrated that you can be a champion and still maintain a certain level of respect, class, and decorum that many kids and tennis fans can admire and aspire to emulate.
Richard Evans:
He was highly respected. Arthur never changed. He always knew exactly what he was doing. And he wasn`t someone who would shout, yell, or wave banners, although later in life he was arrested in D.C. [during an anti-apartheid rally in 1985 and protesting for Haitian refugees` rights outside the White House in 1992]. He would likely have been disappointed that more Black players didn`t break through sooner, but there has been significant progress in that area. He would have wanted more, and he would have been actively helping young people become tennis players.
Chris Eubanks:
I believe [the presence of Black players in tennis] has continued to grow, and it`s genuinely been an honor to be a part of that, to witness the generations that have followed. I strongly believe that when kids see someone who looks like them succeeding in certain fields, it inspires them to get involved in that sport, to think, `Hey, maybe I can do it.` We are seeing more and more people of color, Black individuals, getting involved in tennis, developing a love for it, even from a fan perspective – this helps the sport continue to expand, and I think it will ensure that the cultural significance of what Arthur, Althea [Gibson, the first Black woman to win a major title, including Wimbledon in 1957 and 1958], and all the pioneers who came before them continues to resonate for many years to come.
