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Although Martina Navratilova says her transition from Czechoslovakia to the United States was smooth, there were some things about American culture that surprised her.
"It was a real shock for me to come to this country and realize that women were really told that they really shouldn't be playing athletic sports," Navratilova said recently on ESPN's Up Close. "You know, this is supposed to be the country of the free, land of the free in opportunity, but women did not have the same opportunities in sports as men did."
|  | | Navratilova said she would "really have to work" to compete against today's players. |
The following is an edited transcript of Navratilova's Sept. 14 interview.
Miller: When you get to talk to other athletes that have reached that championship level in the legendary status, you get to be one of the 20 greatest athletes of the century, is there a common thread?
Navratilova: All the athletes have a common thread: the ability to overcome bad situations going after what you believe in, and not letting anybody take away from that. Growing up, when I went to play tennis, the kids said "Why are you playing tennis, why don't you play with us, go to the woods or play football (soccer) or something." I said, "Hey, Ive got to hit that tennis ball. It's a fun sport to do." All of us have that passion for the game, whatever that may be.
Miller: I know you've defected, asked for a settlement in this country, and then became a U.S. citizen. When did you really feel American?
Navratilova: I think I felt very comfortable in this country the very first time I came. Billie Jean King called me a Yankee back in 1973, the first time I showed up here. I was very much at ease in this country and the country embraced me and let me be a citizen here. Most people are lucky enough to have been born here. I had to work my way over here. (chuckles)
Miller: I'm Czech by heritage too. You said there's no word in the Czech language for "Tomboy?"
Navratilova: Not as far as I know. Girls are taken equally as athletes as boys. Women are viewed equally as men athletes. It just depends on how good you are, so it was a real shock for me to come to this country and realize that women were really told that they really shouldn't be playing athletic sports. So it was a real shock to me. You know, this is supposed to be the country of the free, land of the free in opportunity, but women did not have the same opportunities in sports as men did.
Miller: You see that changing quite a bit now, don't you?
Navratilova: Well, it's about time. I think it's really changing the face of sports -- women's sports is really changing because team sports are making it. The ABL, the WNBA, women winning the hockey medal in Nagano, and the women's soccer team winning the World Cup. Now with team sports, I think the average American fan has finally gotten down to the idea that women are athletes.
Miller: How did you feel about the reaction to the women's soccer team and how the country went crazy over that?
Navratilova: They went crazy. They acted as if they had never seen women's soccer before. They didn't even know that it existed. So I'm like, "Where have you been, you know. I have been watching it for a long time...women soccer players have been around for a long time." I guess it took for the event to be in this country for people to start paying attention; and I'd like for American people to be paying more attention when things are happening elsewhere. It shouldn't just be in your backyard for you to start paying attention, but that's how it goes.
Miller: Well, when we list your accomplishments, it would take a long time to get through with them: 7-time No. 1; record 9 Wimbledons; 18 Grand Slam Titles; 37 doubles titles. When you are introduced and they go through this litany of the great accomplishments and the most career singles titles, what stands out most to you?
Navratilova: I think the longevity. You know, winning singles, I think 168, and doubles, I think 165, I'm not sure. That shows that not only was I a good singles player, but I was good in doubles too; and doubles is overlooked these days. It's all singles, singles, singles. Nobody's really paying attention (to doubles). I was a complete player and I think that's probably the best feeling I have. That's why, to me, John McEnroe and Rob Laver were the best players because they played singles and doubles and won both. But it's sort of like picking your favorite baby, what record is the favorite. I'm just feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to be able to reach my potential. You know, so many women particularly don't have that opportunity. I was lucky and I took the opportunity and I did the most with it that I could.
Miller: When you look at Serena Williams and how she powerful she was winning the U.S. Open this weekend. How important is that aspect of the game to being a champion -- the power aspect?
Navratilova: Well, I felt that it gave me an edge over everybody else because I was not necessarily taller, but I was definitely stronger and faster than anybody that I played against at the top level. And the height does give you an advantage. When I played, it was Billie Jean King, Tracy Austin, and Chris Evert that were my main rivals, and they were all shorter than me. So I knew that I had an advantage. I didn't like playing people that were taller than me. Martina Hingis is always looking up, whether she's playing against Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams or Venus Williams. It's intimidating. It's tough because you know no matter how good you are -- if they are the same level that you -- they've got that extra six inches of reach or more. You're always at a disadvantage, so you have to be that much better to compete. You know, these women, not only are they taller and stronger, they're great athletes, so it's pretty intimidating.
Miller: If you had to get ready for Serena Williams, who just won the U.S. Open, or Venus Williams, how would you attack them?
Navratilova: Well, my game always was to go forward and the women are not used to seeing people coming in. So, how good are the passing shots? We don't really know because they don't have to hit it very often, so I guess I would be testing that and I would make them adjust their game... If I was growing up now, I know I would be hitting the ball harder. I would be even faster and stronger than I was, because I would really have to work at it to be able to compete. But today nobody really comes to the net that much. When I played, there was base-liners and sort of volleyers and there were all-around people. Now you've got really base-liners and you've got all-court players, but you don't really have any sort of volleyers anymore. So there is not that much variety. But hey, who needs volleys when you can hit winners from the baseline!
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