Serena Williams is Superwoman With Brains and Power: Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova, 59-time Grand Slam champion, told NDTV Serena Williams, who has been the subject of increasing sexism in world tennis, has the curves of a woman and said there was nothing manly about the Wimbledon champion.
Serena Williams became the holder of all four tennis Grand Slams for the second time in her illustrious career, when she was crowned Wimbledon 2015 champion earlier this month. (Serena Inspired by Ageless Federer)
The US tennis star however, has often faced sexist remarks over her body - that she is built like a man - and the strength she displays on the court. Former tennis legend Martina Navratilova has come out in support of Serena, saying the holder of 21 Grand Slams has 'curves of a lady.' (Calendar Slam no Swear for Serena)
"Serena is built like a man? I don't think so. She has the curves of a woman. Her strength seems to have become an issue as she is perhaps, the most powerful tennis player," Navratilova told NDTV. (Serena, Djokovic Dance Crosses the Line)
"Serena certainly hits the ball harder than most and it takes a lot of ability to do what she does," the tennis great added. (Superwoman Martina Meets Indian Queen Sania)
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Navratilova also joked about needing to do bench press with her to determine who would be the stronger between the two.
Serena added another feather to her cap on Tuesday as the WTA Tour revealed that world number one is the first top-ranked player ever with more than twice as many points as her nearest rival. (Sania and Paes' Common Factor is Hard Work: Navratilova)
Records dating to the WTA's 1973 founding show the 33-year-old American's domination to be the greatest of any point in the rankings' history, with Serena on 13,161 points and Russia's second-ranked Maria Sharapova on 6,490. (It's Still Harder for Black People to Win Respect. Even Serena)
In addition to sweeping the US, French and Australian Opens plus Wimbledon over the past 12 months, Serena won last year's WTA Finals in Singapore and at Miami last March to help build her runaway rankings margin.
(With inputs from Suprita Das and AFP)