Martina Navratilova Calls for Radical Change That Would Make Tennis ‘More Difficult’

Martina Navratilova doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind, even on some of the most controversial topics. The tennis great, who hung up her racket in 2006, called out several WTA players for their performances in the ongoing Wimbledon.

She also called for a radical change, which she believes will make tennis more difficult. She wants to see players play with small rackets.

If I was a tennis star [now], I would mandate smaller racket heads. So there would be more emphasis on technique, and it would make it a little more difficult to hit unbelievable passing shots, and you can still hit a volley, but you cannot do just this off balance, just hit it as hard as you can. Technique would be more of a premium.

The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion then revealed what she and golf legend Rory McIlroy discussed about rackets while watching a match from the Royal Box.

He said he would make the heads a little bit smaller off of [golf] clubs because they’re so massive now. The sweet spot is so much bigger than it used to be, and so it is in tennis. So, I’ll make the sweet spot a little bit smaller to put more premium on precision, taking pace off the ball, and then you will see more serve and volley, or at least people coming to the net more.

Martina Navratilova added

Navratilova, the winner of nine Wimbledon singles titles, last won a Major singles title at SW19 back in 1990. It was also here back in 1994 that she played her career’s last Grand Slam singles final.

Martina Navratilova reacts to Iga Swiatek’s defeat to Alexandra Eala

Iga Swiatek‘s title defense at Wimbledon was ended by Alexandra Eala in the third round. The win helped the Filipino improve her head-to-head record over the six-time Grand Slam champion to 2-1. Before this Wimbledon, they met twice last year: Eala beat her in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open, then the Pole took her revenge in the second round of the Madrid Open.

Wimbledon was another tournament in which the 25-year-old failed to reach the final. Swiatek, who cried uncontrollably after overcoming Taylor Townsend in the first round, has so far played just one semifinal this year (at the Italian Open, where she lost to eventual champion Elina Svitolina). Reacting to Swiatek’s latest defeat, Martina Navratilova said this on Tennis Channel:

I think the recipe [for Eala] was to mix up the serves. Hit a lot of body serves into the Swiatek forehand or backhand, and she just could not figure out how to return better serves. She did not get those break points, and she defended really well. And Iga, quite frankly, was not good emotionally. She was just so up and down; she could not keep it together today.

Martina Navratilova added

Eala scripted history after defeating Swiatek, as she became the first player, male or female, to reach the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in the Open Era. In the fourth round, she failed to defeat two-time Grand Slam singles finalist Jasmine Paolini.

Eala has so far progressed to one tour-level final. Last year at the Eastbourne International, she lost the title to Maya Joint, whom she defeated in the second round of this Wimbledon. Swiatek will next be gearing up for the North American hard-court swing. Last year, she lifted three titles from four finals, including Wimbledon, the Cincinnati Open, and the Korea Open.

Twice this season has Swiatek lost in the opening round. First, countrywoman Magda Linette defeated her at the Miami Open, and then Emma Navarro knocked her out of the Bad Homburg Open.

Also read: Jannik Sinner Spotted with Bandage on His Shoulder During Wimbledon Quarterfinals