"With me, they were saying I have an advantage because I’m gay" - When Martina Navratilova opened up on gender stereotypes in tennis
Tennis legend and former World No. 1 Martina Navratilova opened up on gender stereotypes in tennis in a podcast called "Conversations with Tyler" with Tyler Cowen in 2018.
Cowen said the current arrangement of how men and women are divided in tennis had a lot of advantages. In response to a query on how more than two genders could have a structure and rules going to have the best available arrangement in sport, Navratilova opined that it is best to take it case by case and not by having a general rule in place.
"You just try to take it case by case and make it as fair as possible for everybody involved," Martina Navratilova said, adding, "I’m not a doctor, so it’s hard to pin that one. You just try to make it fair. There is not any particular rule. If you go by that, then some guy may have a lot more testosterone than another guy. Is he banned because he has too much?"
Martina Navratilova added that the onus should be on creating a level playing field and said she was told that she had an advantage because she was gay and gay players hit the ball better than straight players, invoking laughter from all around.
"Where do you put the limits? Who decides where the limits are? You just take it case by case and try to make it a level playing field. With me, they were saying I have an advantage because I’m gay. [laughs] Somehow, a gay player hits the ball better than a straight player. I don’t know," she said, amidst laughter.
Martina Navratilova remains active and vocal on social media
Martina Navratilova has always used social media to broadcast her views on various pressing issues. The tennis legend opined that 'silence' regarding a matter is equivalent to 'consent' and urged fellow celebrities to use social media to speak up more often.
The former tennis player said she did not "sign up to be famous," but soon realized the importance of using her stature to stand up for her beliefs through social media.
She recently faced trouble from an online abuser who reproached her for supposedly being involved in supporting insensitive agendas. She asked her fans on Twitter to report the online abuser who was criticizing the American.
In another instance, the 18-time Grand Slam singles champion stated that celebrities do not have a specific responsibility to use social media and other platforms to reach out to people and express their beliefs on important matters. However, she believes they should still use it as they have a great opportunity to create an impact, and she feels most celebrities do so.
Navratilova, one of the greatest players of all time, took to social media to heap praise on Iga Swiatek for having an incredible season so far. The Pole became the No. 1 ranked player in the world after Ashleigh Barty retired in March and has been unstoppable ever since.
Swiatek has won eight titles this year, including two Grand Slams - the French Open and the US Open - along with four WTA 1000 titles. Swiatek also broke the record for the most consecutive match wins on the WTA tour this century, winning 37 matches on the trot.