‘I Hugged a Pole’ – When Martina Navratilova Reminisced Her Unique Celebration After Winning $10K at a Florida Tournament

It was the year 1974. Martina Navratilova, who was representing Czechoslovakia back then, was up against American star Julie Heldman in the final of the Barnett Bank Tennis Classic tournament in Orlando, Florida. Navratilova hadn’t won any title back then. In the summit clash, Navratilova prevailed over her American opponent in straight sets to win her maiden title.

Since then, Navratilova has gone on to achieve legendary status in the sport, becoming one of the most decorated players in tennis. She has won a total of 167 singles titles during her illustrious career. She once reminisced her maiden title-winning moment.

How did Martina Navratilova celebrate her maiden title win?

During an interview, the legendary tennis player once opened up about the emotions that she experienced after winning her first title. She said, “I was so happy and there was nobody to hug, because I didn’t know anybody. So I hugged a pole — a light pole, next to the umpire’s chair. I think I won $10,000 and I was playing on $17 a day per diem. Yeah, those were the days (laughter). Not really.”

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Apart from her exploits in singles, Navratilova also went on to rule the doubles circuit. She has won 59 Grand Slam titles across formats, with 18 coming in singles, 31 in doubles, and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. Further, her rivalry with Chris Evert has been one of the greatest in the sport. They enthralled fans by putting on some eye-catching displays during their glory days.

Navratilova pays tribute to Bill Russell

Yesterday, American basketball lost one of its legends as Bill Russell, an 11-time NBA champion passed away. Subsequently, Navratilova paid tribute to Russell, saying, “RIP Bill Russell, a giant in every sense of the word- athletic, civil rights, altruistic – the whole lot. RIP champ!”

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The news about his death was announced on his official Twitter handle. According to the statement, he passed away peacefully with his wife beside him. As this grim news broke out, fans expressed their emotions on social media.