Martina Navratilova Quotes

A collection of quotes by Martina Navratilova.

Martina Navratilova is a retired Czechoslovak-born American tennis player, considered one of the greatest female athletes in the history of the sport. Born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic), she achieved a total of 59 Grand Slam titles (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles) throughout her career. Known for her strong serve-and-volley game, Navratilova dominated women's tennis in the 1980s. She has continuously been an advocate for gender equality and LGBTQ+ rights. After becoming a US citizen in 1981, she competed for the United States in international tournaments.

The tennis ball doesn't know how old I am. The ball doesn't

The tennis ball doesn't know how old I am. The ball doesn't know if I'm a man or a woman or if I come from a communist country or not. Sport has always broken down these barriers.

Martina Navratilova

Sports Inspire Barriers

I shouldn't say I'm looking forward to leading a normal life

I shouldn't say I'm looking forward to leading a normal life, because I don't know what normal is.

Martina Navratilova

If I feel strongly, I say it. I know I can do more good by b

If I feel strongly, I say it. I know I can do more good by being vocal than by staying quiet. I'd have a whole lot more money if I lied, but I wouldn't enjoy spending it.

Martina Navratilova

People in the States used to think that if girls were good a

People in the States used to think that if girls were good at sports their sexuality would be affected. Being feminine meant being a cheerleader, not being an athlete. The image of women is changing now. You don't have to be pretty for people to come and see you play. At the same time, if you're a good athlete, it doesn't mean you're not a woman.

Martina Navratilova

The difference between involvement and commitment is like ha

The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed.

Martina Navratilova

Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are

Labels are for filing. Labels are for clothing. Labels are not for people.

Martina Navratilova

Being blunt with your feelings is very American. In this big

Being blunt with your feelings is very American. In this big country, I can be as brash as New York, as hedonistic as Los Angeles, as sensuous as San Francisco, as brainy as Boston, as proper as Philadelphia, as brawny as Chicago, as warm as Palm Springs, as friendly as my adopted home town of Dallas, Fort Worth, and as peaceful as the inland waterway that rubs up against my former home in Virginia Beach.

Martina Navratilova

Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one

Disability is a matter of perception. If you can do just one thing well, you're needed by someone.

Martina Navratilova

Whoever said, It's not whether you win or lose that counts,

Whoever said, It's not whether you win or lose that counts, probably lost.

Martina Navratilova

People in the States used to think that if girls were good a

People in the States used to think that if girls were good at sports their sexuality would be affected.

Martina Navratilova