For three years straight, the South African government refused Ashe’s visa application to enter the country to participate in the South African Open. (“African-American,” 2013) While in the country, he wanted to help the racial oppression that was occurring. Ashe was continuously confronted by black locals telling him he wasn’t doing them any help by participating in the tournament, and that his visit would only “legitimize the racist white-minority government, which should be boycotted, made a pariah, until it abandoned apartheid”. (Moore, 1992) Ashe grew depressed and that he had made a mistake in going because it didn’t change anything. However, this never stopped him from actually playing the game. Just as many had seen Ashe in other situations, he continued to battle through the diversity he faced and was able to gain the respect from people around him and all over the world.
