"I'm going to beat him up" - When Martina Navratilova was infuriated by Richard Krajicek after the Dutchman called WTA players "fat pigs"

Martina Navratilova once threatened to beat up fellow tennis player Richard Krajicek after he passed an offensive comment about her colleagues on the WTA Tour.

The Dutchman sparked controversy while speaking about equal pay in tennis back in 1992, remarking that 80 percent of the Top-100 female tennis players at the time were "fat pigs." He later jokingly added that he over-exaggerated his comments, claiming only 75 per cent of WTA players were "fat pigs," throwing more fuel into the fire.

"I said that 80 per cent of the top 100 (women) are fat pigs, but I just over-exaggerated a little bit. What I meant to say is that only 75 percent, yes," Krajicek said.

Martina Navratilova was asked about the Dutchman's comments in an interview soon afterward and what she would do if she ever met him. The Czech-American, infuriated beyond imagination, replied with characteristic boldness, saying that she would beat him up.

"I'm going to beat him up," Martina Navratilova said.

Responding to her statement, Krajicek doubled down on his comments, stating that she should not take his words personally as she herself was not a "fat pig."

"She should not take it personally, because she's not a fat pig," the Dutchman said.

Speaking further on the topic of equal pay, Krajicek said that men played five sets while women played three sets, meaning that they should stand to earn more than players on the WTA Tour.

"I mean we play five sets and they only play three sets. What I meant to say, actually, is that a lot of women are overweight, but that's not the point, I was trying to make. It was just something I said afterwards, but they are not fat pigs, 80 per cent. There are a few that are pretty fat, but that is normal," the Dutchman said.

"The problem is I think -- maybe I'm wrong -- I don't think people want to watch the best of five women, but then maybe I'm wrong. If they do that, then I say OK," he added.

"I think you can call them fat, certainly some of them are, as are some of the men players"- Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova at an event in 2022

Speaking about Krajicek's comments, Martina Navratilova remarked that some female tennis players were certainly fat, as were some of their male counterparts. She also stated that their weight did not define them as players, pointing out how baseball players often look like they drink beer all day while still managing to perform at a high level.

"I think you can call them fat -- certainly some of them are, as are some of the men players, I see some pot bellies there, but that doesn't make you a great player or a lazy player. You get some baseball players who look like they drink beer all day, but they hit home runs," Navratilova said.

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