"No time to sit and cry, that will only make things worse" - Martina Navratilova's wife Julia Lemigova opens up about tennis great's cancer battle
Martina Navratilova's partner Julia Lemigova highlighted the importance of a fighting spirit from the family as they continue to deal with the tennis legend's cancer diagnosis. Lemigova, a former model in Russia and currently a star of the show Real Housewives of Miami, said that while Navratilova's major health concern is a 'tragedy,' they will keep fighting it with all their might and not make things worse by crying about it.
At the start of the year, Martina Navratilova revealed that she had been diagnosed with throat cancer and a second breast cancer, 13 years after she was diagnosed with and fought against breast cancer. Since then, she has been undergoing regular treatment, involving multiple chemotherapy sessions.
Lemigova recently reacted to the setback in Navratilova and her life. The celebrity star stated that they could have either given in to the setback or stood in the face of it and fought back, and they undoubtedly chose the latter.
"I'm a strong believer that when life hits you with a tragedy, no matter how big the tragedy is, you have basically two choices. You submit, or you push back and rebel," Lemigova told PEOPLE in a recent interview. "And all my life I was, I'm a rebel in a way, and I always push back."
Lemigova then stressed that feeling demoralized will only make things worse for Navratilova and she wants to help spread as much positivity as possible in the 18-time Grand Slam champion's life.
"So this is just one of those huge tragedies that hit our family. And there is no time or space to sit and cry because that will not help. That will only make things worse," Lemigova added.
Lemigova vowed not to show any weakness around Navratilova even though she feels the effects of the ongoing challenges.
"And Martina doesn't need me crying, because even if I want to cry, I'm not going to show it to her. And in order to feel it, you have to really meditate, project positive energy, and believe, not just wipe your teeth and smile, because that is fake," she added.
Julia Lemigova gets a haircut to show her support for wife Martina Navratilova
In a kind and loving gesture towards Martina Navratilova, Julia Lemigova recently got a haircut, chopping off her long brunette locks into a shoulder-length cut. Lemigova opened up about the same and also revealed that she wanted to pleasantly surprise the 59-time Grand Slam title winner with her new look and thus did not inform her beforehand.
The 50-year-old also admitted that her perspective on life has changed in a way after going through such a difficult journey.
"After your wife is diagnosed with two cancers, it really changes your perspective. We all have to be strong for her," Lemigova said. "There is no time for sitting around and crying."
"And I wanted my hair to illustrate that I am reconnecting with my, well, sophisticated, strong woman who I am, but also showing that in a way I'm doing it for her. And something that I know for sure will put a smile on her face," she said on her new haircut.
Lemigova and Martina Navratilova tied the knot back in 2014. The nine-time Wimbledon singles champion has also appeared alongside her wife on Real Housewives of Miami in the past. Navratilova's last public appearance on tour was during the 2022 WTA Finals.