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.