Tennis Insider Slams Martina Navratilova Over Transgender Views After Netflix Announcement

Martina Navratilova is against transgender athletes' participation in women's sports.

Tennis Insider Slams Martina Navratilova Over Transgender Views After Netflix Announcement

Martina Navratilova (Image via X/WTA)

In Short
  • A Netflix documentary titled "Chris & Martina: The Final Set" will focus on the rivalry between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, releasing on June 29.
  • Martina Navratilova faces criticism for her views on transgender athletes in women's sports, with tennis commentator Lucy Khadija questioning Netflix's decision to feature her.
  • Navratilova praised Aryna Sabalenka's recent performances, highlighting her back-to-back victories at Indian Wells and the Miami Open.

A new Netflix documentary will explore the iconic rivalry between Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert. The documentary, titled Chris & Martina: The Final Set, directed by Rebecca Gitlitz, is scheduled for release on June 29 this year.

When Netflix announced the same, Navratilova found herself on the receiving end of criticism from some sections of the online community, including tennis commentator Lucy Khadija. Navratilova is quite vocal when it comes to transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports.

She believes trans athletes’ inclusion in women’s sports is unfair, claiming the former have a biological advantage. Because of her views, Khadija questioned Netflix for its documentary celebrating Navratilova. She wrote on X:

How Martina Navratilova gets to have a doc on Netflix after years of the most insane tweets is actually crazy.

Check out her tweet here:

Navratilova ended her legendary career in 2006 after winning 18 Grand Slam singles titles. In doubles and mixed doubles, she won 31 and 10 Grand Slam titles, respectively. Against Evert, Navratilova held a 43-37 head-to-head edge. Evert also clinched 18 Grand Slam singles titles and hung up her racket in 1989.

Martina Navratilova on Aryna Sabalenka’s dominance

Aryna Sabalenka completed the Sunshine Double this year. After taking her revenge on Elena Rybakina in the Indian Wells final, the Belarusian defeated home favorite Coco Gauff in the Miami Open final. Following her win, Martina Navratilova showered her with a lot of praise.

Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Tiempo De Tenis)

Coco Gauff gave it everything she had. I thought she held her nerve really well. But Sabalenka, she’s got too much firepower, she just keeps coming at you, and Sabalenka showing what a champion she is. To win these two tournaments [Indian Wells and Miami] back to back now, that they’re two weeks each. It’s a really, really difficult feat.

Martina Navratilova told Tennis Channel

Sabalenka has played four tournaments this year, and in every event, she reached the final. She defended her title at the Brisbane International, following which, Rybakina stopped her from winning her third title at the Australian Open.

Sabalenka then skipped both the WTA 1000 in the Middle East Swing (the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships) before starting her campaign on American soil. The WTA 500 Stuttgart Open is underway, but Sabalenka, who is a four-time finalist, chose to skip the tournament. She played the finals in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2025. Last year, Jelena Ostapenko stopped her from winning her first title.

So, Sabalenka on the big front foot to the rest of the field, she’s done something that is done very rarely, and there’s a reason for that: ‘I’m number one.’ I mean, [we’re] probably looking back on this one as where she really stamped her signature on the season, but well done to both players. It was a good match. It was well-played, high-quality tennis. Some drama; the crowd didn’t get who they wanted to win, but Sabalenka the rightful winner.

Martina Navratilova added

Sabalenka will next be participating at the Madrid Open to defend her title. She claimed her third title in the tournament last year by defeating Gauff. The American ace is in Stuttgart and is bidding to end her title drought.

The last time she won a trophy was at the 2025 Wuhan Open by defeating. Last year on the clay swing, after losing the Madrid Open to Sabalenka and the Italian Open to Jasmine Paolini, the 22-year-old took her revenge on the World No.1 by defeating her in the French Open final.

Sabalenka’s win over the two-time Grand Slam singles champion helped her take a 7-6 head-to-head edge. Gauff will lock horns with Liudmila Samsonova in her campaign opener in Stuttgart.

Also read: Arthur Fils Discusses Experience of Working With Goran Ivanisevic so far: “He has Tons of Advice”