The Hindu : Navratilova — a champion like no other

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2003

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Navratilova — a champion like no other

By Nirmal Shekar

London July 7.

Martina Navratilova in action during the mixed doubles final at the Wimbledon on Sunday. Navratilova and Paes won 6-3, 6-3, her 20th Wimbeldon title. - AFP.

There we were, about 15 of us, waiting in the interview room at the Millennium building at the All England Lawn Tennis Club late on Sunday evening.

``Where is she? It is 15 minutes past the time they were supposed to be here,'' asked an English sportswriter, biting off his finger nails in anxiety, moving to seat edge.

``Gosh, I'm in a soup,'' said another one of our tribe. "I am on deadline.'' Then she arrived, flashing a charming smile, her Indian partner following her to the dais.

Martina Navratilova was about 20 minutes late arriving for Sunday night's press conference following her historic 6-3, 6-3 mixed doubles victory in the company of Leander Paes over Andy Ram of Israel and Anastassia Rodionova of Russia. Many of us missed our deadlines.

But, then, what would she know of deadlines? Hers is a career without deadlines, a saga of remarkable athletic achievements without full stops, a story like no other in the entire history of tennis.

Then again, is there anything in modern sport itself _ not just tennis _ that can compare favourably with the Navratilova phenomenon? Probably not.

``I have always believed age is a matter of attitude,'' said the great lady, who became the oldest Grand Slam champion in history when she won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Paes last January.

"It's a question of what you want to do and how much you enjoy doing it.''

The enjoyment was obvious on the centre court. Both on the court where Navratilova and Paes, inarguably the best player during the evening, outmatched Andy Ram of Israel and Anastassia Rodionova of Russia 6-3, 6-3 to the delight of the great lady's thousands of fans.

``When I first started winning the Slams, it was different. It was just Me, Me and Me then. But now it is not at all about winning. I did not come back thinking of winning titles and breaking records.

They are incidental,'' said Navratilova who won her first Wimbledon title, a ladies doubles crown, when Paes was three years old, in 1976.

She said the chief motivation was the support she received from the stands.

"Everywhere I play, the fans are just great. They love watching me and this motivates me in a big way,'' said the woman who equalled Billie Jean King's Wimbledon record of 20 titles.

Would she be back to try and break the record?

``I am not playing for records. Let me make that clear. I enjoy the challenge. Eight years ago, when I won my last title here, I never would have believed I would be playing here now. If Billie Jean had won 30, I would still do this. It has nothing to do with records. I just enjoy doing what I am doing and the chemistry between Leander and myself is great,'' said Navratilova.

It's a chemistry and Paes himself acknowledges. But, most of all, the heroic Indian Davis Cup star believes that it is his good fortune to have had the opportunity to play with the legend.

``I am just the vehicle for Martina's greatness,'' Paes humbly acknowledged. "I thought I was old and I was losing motivation. Then she came along and 16 years my senior she has taught me how to find the passion inside and keep going. Her passion and love for tennis and her zest for life are a great source of motivation for me,'' he said.

Navratilova, 47 in October this year, has won a phenomenal 125 doubles titles and 170 singles titles in a career spanning 30 years. She is still four shy of Margaret Court's record of 62 Grand Slam titles.

But, then, as she says, her new journey is towards another kind of destination. Records are immaterial. ``If you can wake up each morning and look back on yesterday and say you did the best you could to be the best you can be, that's good enough,'' said Navratilova.

As always, it was a state-of-tennis address and she touched upon a variety of topics, from Serena's potential to Federer's brilliance and what have you.

Navratilova said she believed Serena Williams had it in her to become the best of all time. "If she can stay motivated and correct a few technical flaws, she can certainly become the best of all time,'' she said.

As for Federer, Navratilova said the new Wimbledon champion was an amazing talent. "What I can never excuse is a person with great talent not doing enough to live up to that talent. We have one life and we have to try and be the best we can.''

One life, yes. And, in one sport _ tennis _ it is unlikely that any one player will ever accomplish anything quite like what this remarkable 46 year old has.

Every sport throws up three or four all-time greats whose achievements can be compared across generations. But when it comes to women's tennis, forget it. Forget the numbers too.

For, Martina Navratilova is simply incomparable.

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