Brittney Griner, in Jail for 210 Days, Receives Heart-Warming Support From Legendary Tennis Icon: ?Wrongfully Detained in Russia?

Legendary tennis star and one of the trailblazers in women’s tennis Billie Jean King recently showed support for Brittney Griner, a controversial WNBA star who is currently serving jail time in Russia. Notably, earlier in August, the Russian court sentenced Griner to nine years in prison after the court found her guilty. Earlier, the Russian Police detained her for the possession of a small amount of cannabis oil in her bag.

Since her detainment, many prominent stars in the sporting world have expressed their concern. The legendary tennis player, King, was the latest to talk about the WNBA star.

Billie Jean King wants Brittney Griner to be released

Earlier, the 12-time Grand Slam champion, Billie Jean King, took to Twitter and wrote, “It has been 210 days since Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia.?It is long past time for her to come home to her family, friends, and teammates. Please continue to support her release and to advocate for her safe return.“

Recently, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, talked to the family members of Griner regarding the situation. According to reports, President Biden talked face to face with her family, trying to give an assurance regarding the possible release of the WNBA star.

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Earlier in February, Russian police arrested her for carrying cannabis oil. Since then, she has gone through several trials. She confessed to taking cannabis oil for medical purposes during the trial. The Russian Court, however, denied her claims and sentenced her to 9 years in prison.?

Martina Navratilova also showed her support for Griner

Apart from Billie Jean King, 18-time Grand Slam champion, Martina Navratilova also showed support for Griner, as she vented out her frustrations about Griner’s sentencing. At that time, she tweeted, “this is just ridiculous and sad” and hoped for a better outcome in the future.

She also felt that Griner’s prison sentence was totally a political move as she said, “Brittney is a pawn in a nasty political game.”

Both Navratilova and King often share their political views. During their playing days, they battled hard for equality in women’s tennis, be it recognition or pay. Also, Navratilova and King were trailblazers when it comes to issues outside of tennis as well. They were one of the first prominent athletes to talk about their sexuality.

After her retirement, Navratilova expressed her desire to go into politics in the past. However, she has yet to make a move, and it remains a possibility for her in the future. Currently, she is working as a tennis commentator, covering most of the major tournaments.

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