Navratilova bids glorious farewell
Navratilova bids glorious farewell
By Dwiatmanta
JAKARTA (JP): Winning and losing come and go, but wisdom stays
forever.
It was true wisdom that lead Martina Navratilova to the
decision to step down from the glimmering world of tennis while
everybody still believes she deserves distinction amid young
tennis prodigies.
"I just listened to my heart that I had to retire, that's
all," 38-year-old Navratilova said. "Of course I'm leaving the
game that I love, but I won't regret it."
The Czech-born American has scooped 167 singles and 163
doubles titles, more than any man or woman player, which earned
her a whopping US$20 million in prize money during her 20-year
professional career. Her nine times victories at Wimbledon may
live forever in the record books.
She carved out a tennis history with a record seven years of
reign in the 1980s. She finished 1994 as the world number eight
behind Argentinean Gabriela Sabatini, who spoiled her farewell
party in the season-end Virginia Slims at Madison Square last
November.
Retirement was just a matter of time as Navratilova has never
been back at the top since German Steffi Graf dethroned her in
1986. The whole of 1994 was a frustrating year, which saw
Navratilova drop her ranking from number three to eight.
Indonesian tennis enthusiasts were lucky to join the farewell
celebration last Wednesday.
Her impressive showing in Wednesday's exhibition against
Indonesia's number one Yayuk Basuki reminded fans of her
masterful serve and volley game which has painted a thousand
words of amazement.
A skillful combination of muscles and brain has brought
Navratilova to the pinnacle, but she does mind if people call her
a legend.
"I'm not quite like that. I'm old in tennis but my period is
not that long to become a legend," she says.
Navratilova definitely rejects any second thoughts of a
comeback, which are common for athletes who have tasted
superstardom. Sweden's former world number one, men's singles,
Bjorn Borg is an example. However, he never got close to his past
supremacy.
"I'm not thinking about a comeback. It's all enough,"
Navratilova declared.
Tennis earned her more than satisfaction as she says: "I have
successes much more than disappointments." The only upsets she
suffers is the fact that she misses her family following her
defection to the U.S.
WTA president
But the world will not have to miss the player who brought
excitement to the game tennis during her heyday. Navratilova
remains very much involved with tennis as president of the
Women's Tennis Association, the official body of women's tennis
professionals.
"I'm working on drafting a number of changes in the format of
women's tennis tour," she told a press conference prior to her
match against Yayuk last Wednesday.
The rest of Navratilova's life, following her withdrawal from
competitive tennis, will be full of social activities. As an
active player, she supported numerous non-profit groups and
charity causes, including extensive work to help the
underprivileged and abused children in cities throughout the
world.
"I will get much more involved with the environmental
movement, opposing the massive slaughter of protected animals and
advocating gay rights," she says.
However, her concern for children brought an insulting
question about her sex life from the local press. A local
reporter asked her if the rumor that she has asked an Italian
doctor for sperm in order to get pregnant were true. While
answering the question, she appeared to be holding back tears.
"I've never figured out this case. My answer is no," she said
in a high temper.
"None of the reports are true. I've never told any journalist
whether I wanted to be pregnant or adopt a child," she added.