Martina Navratilova
Tennis Great
Wednesday, December 5, 2007; 2:30 PM

Martina Navratilova was online Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m. ET to takes your questions about tennis, her career and her life.

Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including nine at Wimbledon. She also won a record 167 career titles. She's also been an outspoken opponent of communism, an advocate for gay and lesbian rights, and is currently working with AARP's Global Aging Program.

A transcript follows.

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Philadelphia, Pa.: What drove you to go into tennis and excel? Did you have driven parents and coaches when you were young? Did you enjoy learning and playing tennis, and was there ever a period where you either rebelled or give it up for a while?

Martina Navratilova: I love paying tennis and I loved learning new things, I loved the evolution of the game and having to figure out new techniques and new tactics.

I thought I was burned out in '89 but after just taking a couple weeks off I realized how much I still loved the game and kept playing and the rest is history.

Nobody pushed me, I loved the game.

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Asheville, N.C.: When you last returned to the professional women's tour you chose to compete almost exclusively in doubles. Didn't you find singles fulfilling enough any longer? Did you find that the new racquet technology did not make up enough for the aging process?

Martina Navratilova: No, the reason I only played doubles was because I wanted to have a life. Playing singles is a complete commitment and I was not up to that, as I had already done it for 25 years.

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Washington, D.C.: You are great on the Howard Stern show. Please keep making appearances. I admire the way you have always lived your life by following your own path. How much training are you doing now and what is your workout?

Martina Navratilova: Not as much training as I would like as I am very busy traveling around the world doing various things and if you want to know more about what all I'm doing, please visit my Web site as MartinaNavratilova.com. But more than training I love playing sports, just about any sport.

The only thing I really haven't tried is synchronized swimming.

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Alexandria, Va.: How much effect do you think the improved racket technology has had on professional tennis? I think they should go back to wooden rackets as the men's game has become, for the most part, uninteresting.

Martina Navratilova: It's improved racket technology but I don't know if it's improved tennis because the new technology has placed premium on power and thus made the game a lot more one-dimensional. It's also the strings that have made a huge difference because they allow you to put a lot more spin on the ball thus you can hit the ball harder and make it more difficult to be more successful with touch shots or serve and volley type of game.

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Boston, Mass.: What do you make of the Sampras/Federer exhibition matches recently? Do you discount them as just exhibitions or could Sampras still be competitive on the regular tour? Did Federer's reputation as the best ever get tarnished?

Martina Navratilova: I don't think Federer's got tarnished because Pete is that good and of course, he could still compete and win; he just chooses not to.

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Virginia: Hello, and thanks in advance for taking my question.

I have an 11-year-old son who loves tennis and is quite good at it. He plays for a team at our local pool in the summer and takes intermittent lessons throughout winter. Unfortunately, I can't afford a full-time coach for him. What is the best, most cost-effective way to help him develop his skill and talent?

Thank you

Martina Navratilova: Your son needs to join my future tennis academy in the Czech Republic because we'll be giving scholarships to needy but talented students. But with you in Virginia and the academy in the Czech Republic, it's a problem. There is no cheap way to achieve the ability to turn pro in tennis; it unfortunately is more expensive than team sports.

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Anonymous: Do you see the Russians become a greater force in women's tennis?

Martina Navratilova: Greater than they are now? No. It's already very great.

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Pau, France: Hi-

Do you maintain much contact with the Czech Republic? Have you invested in any interesting projects since the "revolution"?

Martina Navratilova: No, I did not invest in anything since the revolution but I am putting together a tennis academy outside Prague and I go to Czech Republic -- I've been there about 12 times the last year as my mother has not been well enough to travel. I go visit her on just about a monthly basis. So, yes I have stayed in touch with my Czech roots.

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Arlington, Va.: Martina,

Who would win at arm wrestling, you or John McEnroe?

Martina Navratilova: (LAUGHS) Well, you know there's still that question of testosterone. No matter how much weightlifting I may try to do -- which I don't do -- he will always have more testosterone than me.

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Martina Navratilova: My partner who is four years older than me and not an active athlete beats me in arm wrestling.

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Freising, Germany: I'd once met an acquaintance of yours that mentioned that you'd been overly harassed by the tabloid press in the U.K. Apparently, pictures had been taken of you and your friends and the pictures had been modified to make it look as if you'd started a new romance.

Was this type of thing a common occurrence? Do you ever get used to it, or does it help to threaten once in a while with legal action?

Martina Navratilova: Quite frankly, you're talking about the 80's I believe and I am not aware of any doctored pictures. Certainly there were stories that were completely untrue which is why it's a good thing not to believe everything you read.

One time in a tabloid there was a picture of me having my arms around another woman from behind and supposedly it was my "new girlfriend" when, in fact, it was my sister. So you just learn not to pay attention to that stuff.

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Oakton, Va.: Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like tennis has dropped off the radar in the U.S. Not just in terms of the quality of American tennis players, but in terms of viewership and interest.

Is it a reflection of the lack of quality players, dull personalities, or increased competition for the average American sports fan from other sports and entertainment (golf, NASCAR, MMA).

As great a player Pete Sampras was, he didn't really excite Americans. As flashy and charismatic Andy Roddick may be, he's proven that he is not a champion. Who is going to save tennis in America?

Martina Navratilova: All those points are true. Americans do lose interest when they don't have another American to root for. Unfortunately the Williams sisters are playing very sporadically and Andy Roddick hasn't been able to back up his U.S. Open win four years ago.

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Martina Navratilova: But for the rest of the world tennis is on the upswing.

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Harrisburg, Pa.: What are your views on Putin and the direction he is leading Russia?

Martina Navratilova:

When one man becomes more important than the country he's supposed to be leading, this will always create a problem. All you have to do is look at history.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Martina, and thank you for representing our sport so well. Two questions for you:

1. Who do you think are the most talented/gifted players in both the women's and men's game who have never won a grand slam tournament?

2. Who do you think will be the next breakthrough player (men and women) to win a grand slam?

Thanks!

Martina Navratilova: On the women's side, Nadia Petrova and on the men's side, probably David Nalbandian.

Either Nicole Vaidisova or Agnes Szavay and Djokovic on the men's side.

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Washington, D.C.: Martina,

Over the years you have done many brave things, as a teenager you left your family and country to live here in the USA, years later you "came out" as a lesbian, risking a great deal of money and popularity.

You have showed emotion on and off the court, have always stood your ground with great dignity. What would you say is the most amazing thing you have done in your life and why?

Martina Navratilova: Birth (laughs). I think for me overall on the tennis court it's the body of work. Off the tennis court, probably my activism on behalf of our gay and lesbian community.

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Alexandria, Va.: Thanks for taking questions today. If I may, please, I have two questions.

First, does your activism in support of gay equality (thank you, Martina!) still have an impact on endorsement offers?

Second, I'm visiting Prague in February for the first time ever. What are your two or three all-time favorite restaurants there?

Martina Navratilova: I don't know but I since I just became Health and Fitness ambassador to AARP which is one of the biggest member organizations in the world and has one of the most respected brands in the world and they hired me for this position and my sexuality was completely irrelevant which I hope one day will always be the case.

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Martina Navratilova: There is one favorite restaurant I would recommend and it's called U Ciriny. It's more authentic, Czech country cooking.

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Camden, N.J.: If you could enter a time machine and play against any other player in history, who would it be?

Martina Navratilova: I can't just pick one. It would be Suzanne Lenglen, Alice Marble and Martina Hingis and Justine Henin.

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Fairfax, Va.: Where are you living now and what do you do on a daily basis?

Martina Navratilova: There is no daily basis. I have a very varied life. I live in Florida. I travel a lot and again, go on my Web site to see what all I do. But what I love doing the most is playing ice hockey, spending time with all our animals and going to the movies with my one and only.

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Alexandria, Va.: Ms. Navratilova, your achievements in tennis are awe-inspiring.

Of all the opponents you faced (in singles) which did you enjoy competing against the most? The least?

Thanks!

Martina Navratilova: All the No. 1's, the champions, it was a joy and even if I thought that I might lose and they were No. 1, that's what you work for and that's what tennis is all about and what I enjoyed the most.

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Lyme, Conn.: What is the work that you are going to be doing with the AARP?

Martina Navratilova: We'll be doing interactive, online chats; we will be doing exercise tips and videos on the AARPFitness.com Web site; I'll be doing appearances at member events and maybe some programming for TV, and there's more to come on that end. Mostly it will be about inspiring people to live the life that I have lived for themselves.

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Ottawa, Canada: What was and what is your motivation in what you do? Was it the fear of failure or the joy of success.

Martina Navratilova: Neither. It was doing my best and seeing how good that will be on every single day, becoming the best tennis player I could possibly be.

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Fairfax County, Va.: Hi -- Ms. Navratilova, I really enjoyed reading your Jordan Myles mystery novels. Are you going to be writing any more of them?

Martina Navratilova: No plan to do so but we might revive Jordan one day. It was fun writing those books so anything's possible at this point.

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Washington, D.C.: Do you and your partner have any kids?

Martina Navratilova: Lots of kids. A lot of dogs and cats. Our kids are our dogs and cats.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi -- I have always been impressed by your professionalism on and off the court. I have two questions.

Your powerful physique has always been notable -- especially in contrast to your contemporaries on the court. In this way you were like Tiger Woods in that you seemed to bring a different degree of strength to a sport that did not (and except for Serena, probably still doesn't) take advantage of such. Did you do a lot of weight lifting, watch nutrition, take supplements, or were you essentially built like this?

Question 2 -- at your respective primes who do you think would consistently beat the other -- you or Serena?

Martina Navratilova: I had a good body to start with but I worked very hard at it. I did all of that, the nutrition, the training, on and off the court. Please read my book, "Shape Your Self."

I think I would be more consistent which means I would win more. I like my chances.

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Martina Navratilova: Justine Henin beat Serena Williams. Yes, I do think I would beat Senena Williams in my prime.

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Net game: Martina,

Hello and welcome to the chat. Your epic battles with Chris Evert was a joy to watch.

My question is why do you think you are still one of the only female players to ever have a net game versus standing on the baseline and trading shots?

Thanks and happy holidays.

Martina Navratilova: Alice Marble, Althea Gibson, Margaret Court, Billie Jean King, Virginia Wade, Evonne Goolagong all serve and volleyers and many ore not as great tennis players are serve and volleyers. I was neither the first nor the only one but I was close to being the last one.

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Rafael Nadal: Hi Martina,

What do you think of Nadal's recent injuries? Do you think they'll prevent him for continuing on the path he's been on for the past few years? Thanks.

Martina Navratilova: I have no idea since I don't know what his training regime is but even with the best training regime your body still may not cooperate so I just hope that he can fix himself up and be 100 percent ready to go in Australia.

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What's Next: Hi Martina,

What do you see as your involvement, tennis-wise, over the next decade?

Martina Navratilova: TV commentating. I'll be working for the Tennis Channel. Would like to do more but can't get in as all the networks tell me they already have their team. But I hope to break in there somewhere anyway. And also, I will have a tennis academy in the Czech Republic and I still hope to play exhibitions for a few more years, possibly for 10 more, though I may need to bring my walker with me at that stage.

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Maputo, Mozambique: Hi Martina.

I'm a great fan of yours. I've followed your career throughout. But one thing I'd love to hear straight from you.

Was it easy to cope with you sexual orientation while being a world class superstar and icon? What was your family's reaction.

And how is life after retirement?

Martina Navratilova: I personally had no problem with my sexual orientation which I figured out at the age of 19. For my parents, it was difficult because they did not understand the nature of homosexuality but once they became educated on the issue they accepted me completely and were concerned, as always, with my happiness.

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Washington, D.C.: As you know Eastern European names tend not to match the way names are spelled in English.

In school I remember one teacher who continued to use one of your Grand Slam wins as an example in class, but was unable to pronounce your name correctly, often as Navry-lova and once as Navy-to-lover which sounds almost Freudian. Have you ever experienced a humorous situation where an American speaker couldn't get around your European name?

Martina Navratilova: Yes, the umpires had a hard time early in my career and on more than one occasion called me by my first only as they couldn't get their mouth around my last name. But after a couple of Wimbledon wins they figured it out.

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Martina Navratilova: Thanks for asking some interesting questions. We'll have to do it again. Thanks for having me. I must say I got a couple questions I've never been asked before so this was fun for me. Thank you fans.

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