Wimbledon at 50: An Arthur Ashe Legacy?

Wimbledon, a global icon of tradition, excellence, and athletic grace this year marked the 50th anniversary of Arthur Ashe’s historic 1975 victory. For once, the silence that often surrounds such milestones was broken. In a moment of reflection before the men’s final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, Ashe was publicly honoured. His wife, brother, and daughter joined a distinguished gathering of royalty, tennis greats, and multigenerational champions in the Royal Box. With the exhibition marking his achievements and distinguished career an acknowledgement not just of his achievement, but of his impact.

Arthur Ashe, Black Historywise

Wimbledon legend John McEnroe, commentating during the championships delivered a moving tribute to Ashe’s influence on his career and on American tennis more broadly, offering a heartfelt glimpse into the respect Ashe commands across generations and continents.

But amidst this overdue recognition, deeper questions remain. How far has British tennis come since Ashe’s historic win? Beyond ceremonial gestures and televised tributes, how much of the All-England Club’s and the Lawn Tennis Association’s (LTA) efforts genuinely reflect real, integrated diversity at all levels of the game?

Throughout the two weeks of the Championships, the Royal Box reflected the usual mix of political, royal, and sporting elites. Sir Lenny Henry, an icon in his own right stood as one of the few visible representatives of Black British culture and celebrity. For a sport that continues to benefit from immense public and commercial investment, the sparse reflection of Britain’s diverse society remains telling. This was on particular note on the now traditional day of the Wimbledon Royal Box contingent of the great and the good of sporting excellence where Paralympic Athletics and cycling world record holder Kadeena Cox, the fastest British Woman in history Dina Asher-Smith, Dame Denise Lewis and Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill also attended on Sports Saturday. However, there was a noticeable lack of diverse representation.

In 1981, just years after his Wimbledon triumph, Ashe walked the streets of Brixton following the riots, not as a celebrity guest, but as a committed citizen. He later helped establish the Arthur Ashe Inner City Tennis Programme, designed to open the game to young people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. It was not a photo opportunity. It was a statement of purpose.

Yet, decades on, the structural inequalities Ashe sought to disrupt persist. While his likeness was celebrated on Centre Court, the courts across much of Britain remain largely closed to the kind of young people Ashe fought for. Talent is everywhere but opportunity remains gated.

The LTA, recipient of significant Wimbledon profits, continues to launch short-term programmes and pilot coaching schemes. Yet these often fail to shift the systemic dynamics needed to truly open the sport. Critics rightly ask: Are these efforts meaningful or merely symbolic? Tokenism in place of transformation? Whilst the LTA’s vision to see “Tennis opened up and with that they have served up a coaching leadership and Blacklist and LTA Foundations “Serve” project and other admirable programmes; many believe that it simply serves to be tokenistic but not truly equitably diverse and inclusive.

Arthur Ashe once called Wimbledon a “tournament of strawberries and cream”, a phrase that still resonates. Britain’s tennis establishment has made gestures. But no matter how well-intended, gestures must be matched with measurable change: in who plays, who coaches, who leads, and who belongs.

As the Home Office’s Safer Streets programme rolls out its football-centric youth engagement model, it overlooks the power of multi-sport, multi-activity offerings - tennis included. If Wimbledon truly wishes to honour Ashe’s legacy, it must become a gateway, not a gallery.

As highlighted in the Youth Charter’s '22' Tenniswise Report (2015), the path forward must be holistic. The report, widely acknowledged as one of the most comprehensive consultations of its kind, called for sustained investment in a culturally competent, socially integrated, and economically accessible tennis model. It urged the LTA and All England Club to anchor equity and inclusion at the heart of tennis development from grassroots to Grand Slam.

“This report provides much by way of added value to the existing strategic considerations made by the tennis community...”

– Tim Henman OBE

To truly honour Ashe’s legacy, British tennis must do more than reflect, it must reform. This includes:

• Embedding diversity across talent pathways, coaching, and leadership

• Integrating sport with social development through Community Campuses

• Reinforcing long-term support for underrepresented young people in schools, estates, and local clubs

• Committing a visible portion of Wimbledon’s profits toward equity-led grassroots programmes

Until then, the question remains: is British tennis really open for all or only to some?

Wimbledon paid tribute to Ashe. Now, it must honour him in action.

Because Ashe knew something many still resist: sport is not just about play. It’s about power. Identity. Belonging. It is, when done right, a way to say: “You matter”,“You belong”,“You are not invisible”.

So, while we rightly commend the All-England Club for finally honouring Ashe and involving his family in this year's celebration, we must ask: what comes next? Will the LTA and British tennis take the next step into schools, estates, and community courts? Will they invest in long-term transformation, not just spotlight moments?

That is how we truly honour Arthur Ashe.