“I won’t apologize for being competitive”: Martina Navratilova speaks out on women's strength in sports

Martina Navratilova exemplified Rafael Nadal regarding the criticisms of ‘competitive’ and ‘muscular’ women tennis players. The 18-time Grand Slam champion was one of the first players with an impressive physique on the Tour.

Navratilova’s achievements include 167 singles titles and another 177 doubles titles, a feat no male or female player has ever reached, making it an unreachable record in the current era. For reference, Novak Djokovic has 99 singles titles, while Serena Williams achieved a total of 73 in singles.

"Because I'm a woman, I'm not supposed to be competitive?" 

Part of Navratilova’s success can be attributed to a strict diet and fitness regimen, which she has commented was key to staying at the top level throughout her 31-year career.

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Recently, Navratilova appeared on the Politics War Room podcast, where she reflected on her journey to the top of tennis: "I took it to another level with fitness, with diet, with doing everything that I possibly could to be the best athlete I could be, therefore the best tennis player,” she said. “I was quite frankly stronger and better than they (her predecessors and rivals) were. So I think I played tennis the way I thought it should be played. Male or female, I don't care. And I'm proud of that."

"And I think also when it came to women athletes, I think I've made women feel that they don't have to apologize for being great athletes, for having muscles, for being strong, for being powerful, for being competitive," Navratilova added.

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Later, the former World No. 1 cited Rafael Nadal as an example, mentioning that the Spaniard’s muscular appearance is often highlighted, although it is not viewed the same way in women players: "You know, when you think about Rafael Nadal, he's so competitive. It's a positive. But so many times I've heard people say, 'Oh, you're so competitive. Why?' I'm like, 'Really? Because I'm a woman, I'm not supposed to be competitive?' Who goes out on the court saying, 'I'm going to lose today'? Of course I'm competitive. I'll work my ass off to get to where I am. I want to win," Navratilova concluded.