"Truth doesn't work, I speak my mind way too much" - Martina Navratilova rules out a career in politics in future
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has dismissed a possible career in politics in the future, joking that she is far too honest to make a good candidate for office.
The American, speaking in a recent podcast, was asked about her ambitions to join politics, seeing as she is very outspoken on social media. Navratilova, however, turned down the offer, stating that her qualities might be tolerated in a man but not in a woman.
Interestingly, the former World No. 1 noted that she might have run for office if she were 20 years younger and had more energy.
"I am. I’ve been asked many times. But I think truth doesn’t work in politics you know I speak my mind way too much. I think maybe as a guy you can get away with it but as a woman, I just don’t know, but I think I am too old for that. 20 years ago, I wish I…, if I was 20 years younger I would run. But I don’t have the energy for it now, and the skin. Really it’s just too nasty," Navratilova said on the 'On with Kara Swisher' podcast.
A look at Martina Navratilova's tennis career
The 67-year-old has had an illustrious career and is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. She boasts a total of 59 Grand Slams (the most by a player in the Open Era), which includes 18 singles titles, 31 doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles.
The American also holds the Open Era record for most titles won by a player in the Open Era, having won 167 singles titles and 177 doubles titles. Furthermore, she is one of the three players to have won a career "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles -- winning the singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at all four Grand Slam events.
Navratilova, since retirement, has been as fierce off the court as she has been on the court. She has been fighting actively for the rights of lesbians and gays for a long time, and continues to advocate for the inclusion of LGBQ people in different walks of daily life.
"You know, I've always been political just by being a lesbian. That's a political statement too, apparently, and coming from a communist country. So, I never had a chance one way or the other on Madison Avenue. And that's okay," Navratilova addressed her political activism on the podcast.