‘One of the Worst Handshakes Ever!’- Martina Navratilova Says Tennis Legend Billie Jean King Was Not a Good Loser

Billie Jean King is regarded as one of the most gracious tennis players by her opponents. However, that doesn’t seem to be the case with Martina Navratilova. The two have shared a strong bond of friendship ever since their playing days. However, despite their amicable relationship, Martina once made a revelation about a handshake with Billie Jean King.

Earlier this year, Navratilova took part in a podcast hosted by renowned talk show host, Andy Cohen. Having a candid conversation, the 59-time Grand Slam champion walked down the memory lane, admitting that Billie Jean King was not a good loser.

Martina Navratilova recalls her worst handshake with Billie Jean King

Talking about her career and personal life, a fan questioned Navratilova, “who’s the worst loser you have ever played against in your tennis career?”

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Being one of the most successful players, it is needless to say that Navratilova has faced numerous players in her career. Looking at the stats, the Czech-American player has been a part of close to 1700 matches in her singles career. While she is remembered for having cordial relationships with all her opponents, she did have a couple of names in mind after hearing the question, with her good friend and childhood hero, Billie Jean King, topping the list.

Answering the question, she said, “There are a couple but overall, well Billie Jean wasn’t the best loser. She gave me one of the worst handshakes ever.”

Navratilova refrained herself from mentioning the match against Billie Jean King in which the incident took place. Even though it remains a question, many consider their iconic clash in the quarterfinals of the Wimbledon Championships in 1980 as the one Navratilova was referring to. During the clash, Navratilova beat King 7-6, 1-6, 10-8.

Navratilova throws light on having King as her opponent

While Navratilova asserted that Billie Jean King wasn’t a good loser, she didn’t shy away from showering praise on her. Learning about the previous answer, host Cohen further questioned Navratilova about the feeling of beating King.

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Replying to Cohen, she admitted, “She (Billie Jean King) was my hero growing up. Then we played doubles together. I helped her win a title at Wimbledon and she helped me kind of win Wimbledon, so kind of evened out…”

Navratilova and Billie Jean King have played a total of 14 times in their careers. Being two of the greatest players of the game, needless to say, the clashes remain a treat for the tennis world. Going ahead in the conversation, Navratilova ended by saying, “It’s hard, you know. You’re like best friends and you played doubles together and then you have to play against each other and they are your enemy. Thankfully there’s a net in between.

Who is your favorite between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert? Do let us know in the comments below?