Hantuchova reduced to tears after Navratilova receives Golden Racquet in Rome

Former player Daniela Hantuchova found herself reduced to tears at the Rome Open watching Martina Navratilova receive the golden racquet award.

Navratilova was given the award for all of her contributions to tennis both on and off the court. The ceremony was followed by former player Daniela Hantuchova who was reduced to tears by the ceremony and the speech Navratilova gave.

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Emotional

"I will try not to be emotional here because, with every word Martina said, you can see how much it means to her. Basically saying the passion that the Italian crowd brings here to the tournament is the way she always tried to play tennis, first time she played here was 1973 and even though she never won the tournament she always felt like this was her home."

Food and great achievement

"And she loves the food obviously, not like days today and she's going to have the ice cream but she talked about how much she always enjoyed playing here in Rome. Hantuchova then opted to pay tribute to Navratilova - who grew up in Czechoslovakia and had to ask the US for political asylum."

"And I just want to say from personal experience, coming from the same part of the world, what Martina has achieved in tennis I think has to be multiplied by 10 times."

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Martina's speech: goosebumps.❤️ #IBI23 | @Martina | #Navratilova

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