Martina Navratilova has always expressed her thoughts regardless of the varied reactions it’ll receive from her fans. In fact, her outspoken self often garners hate from people who don’t agree with her beliefs. However, the 18-time singles Grand Slam champion has been through enough verbal bashing to know not to pay heed to such frivolous things.

She now is stronger than ever and conveys her thoughts with much more confidence. Speaking of which, Navratilova at present is holding the forefront of the debate as to why trans-women shouldn’t play in the women’s category. And recently she backed her claims with the words of her transgender coach.

Martina Navratilova about Renée Richards’ changed mindset

Navratilova, while addressing the questions regarding the same put forth by Piers Morgan, took the example of Renée Richards. She said, “She’s lived as a trans woman for 40 some years now almost 50 years. Renée now says herself she should not have been allowed to play.”

Thereafter, she explained how Richards didn’t face much problem in excelling in the category against women. “When she played as a woman in the 70s, she ranked top 30 in the world. When she hadn’t been playing for a long time.”

“So she knows she shouldn’t have been allowed to play then and is definitely saying the same things that I am saying,” she added. Richards played in the women’s category after undergoing a male to female sex reassignment surgery and bid farewell to the game with a career-high ranking of world no.20.

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Following that, she made a landmark case to challenge the authorities for transgender rights and advanced in tennis as Navratilova’s coach.

Navratilova’s achivements

Navratilova is one of the most successful tennis players ever, if not the most successful. She marked an end to her career with 167 singles, 177 doubles, and 15 mixed doubles tiles under her name. Also, the tennis veteran held the ranking of World no.1 for 332 weeks.

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Further, she is one of the few players who have secured 100 victories in the Grand Slam of the fastest surface, i.e., Wimbledon. She reached the finals of the Wimbledon 12 times with nine appearances coming in consecutive years. In the current generation, only Roger Federer has achieved the record and if Serena Williams continues her game till next year, she will need two wins to do the same.