“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.

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.

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.

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.