Martina Navratilova has faced a lot more than fair to make it big in the sport. Apart from in-match injuries and the sorrow of bitter defeats, she also struggled with getting acceptance from the crowd. Fans’ support plays a major role in every sport, be it team or individual. With the lack of that, a player suffers a mental blockage.

When Navratilova first traveled to America, she wasn’t given a warm and caring welcome. Rather, her first few years were miserable, as she missed the sense of belonging.

What made young Martina Navratilova burst into tears?

Navratilova left Prague at a very tender age and tried to excel in the sport along with fitting into the customs of the West. However, she fell short and couldn’t prove herself worth any of these. She failed to get a grip on her initial tournaments and the spectators didn’t care. In fact, they cheered at her defeat.

After getting chased by the questions about her defection and facing constant hostility from the audience, the teenager’s mental strength finally gave up. She let her emotions take control, following a loss against Janet Newberry. Post a three-set long match, Navratilova shook hands, sat on her chair, put her head in her hands, and started crying.

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She had fallen to the extent that she never stopped crying. In the end, Newberry had to escort her out of the court like someone helping an old lady cross the road. “I hope I never see anyone in that condition again,” Newberry said.

Situations that followed the incidents

Over the next five years, things got worse than ever. The four times US Open champion, who tried to imbibe America’s spirit, unintentionally became a complaint freak. Her questioning authorities made her an unthankful, critical immigrant who just exploited the perks of the nation in the public’s eyes.

The hate had risen to the level that the veteran earned a self-described reputation of “Martina the complainer”.

Watch this story: ‘Seems to Get Injured a Lot’ – Martina Navratilova Once Used Serena Williams’ Example to Talk About the ‘Fragmented’ Nature of Women’s Tennis. 

However, slowly the hostile feeling started to fade as people understood the nature of the nine times Wimbledon champions. Thereafter, with the support of her fans, the veteran touched the records that will take decades to break.