I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States.

I always wanted to be somebody...If I've made it, it's half because I was game to take a wicked amount of punishment along the way, and half because there were an awful lot of people who cared enough to help me.

Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don't really consider the amount of work required to stay tops.

I think I've already got the main thing I've always wanted, which is to be somebody, to have an identify. I'm Althea Gibson, the tennis champion. I hope it makes me happy.

I hope that I have accomplished just one thing: that I have been a credit to tennis and my country.

No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you.

I don't consciously beat the drums for any cause, not even the negro in the United States.