Martina Navratilova, the legendary tennis player who had an illustrious professional career, has enjoyed the limelight for a long period. However, her rise to fame has had its fair share of struggles, which continued even after her retirement. In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, she talked about how difficult it was for her to achieve a balance in her life now that she is retired.

The Czech-American tennis player talked about the early years after her retirement until the time she realized what was best for her.

How did Martina Navratilova find a way to strike a balance?

‘Navrat the Brat’, as she was affectionately known during her time, told the interviewer that she had no further plans once she retired from tennis. The former world no.1 stated that she was content with the fact that she could do anything that she wanted to in her life.

Navratilova was quoted, “Then, during that first year after I retired, I was afraid I wouldn’t have enough to do, so I said yes to too many things. I ended up traveling more than I wanted to. As the second year arrived, I had said no to everything, and I didn’t have enough to do. Finally, in the third year, I found a balance.”

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Navratilova mentioned that while considering numerous options, she obtained a pilot’s license, did some woodworking, and participated in a few different sports. As a result, she didn’t mind missing the tennis match. The 66-year-old tennis champion finally found her freedom. “My mother told me I looked ten years younger,” she said.

Martina Navratilova revisits her retirement

During the conversation, the 18-time Grand Slam champion expressed her admiration for the way Roger Federer and Serena Williams addressed their goodbyes to tennis. Navratilova also remarked that if she were to retire again, she would do so in an entirely different manner. The nine-time Wimbledon champion stated that she regretted holding a news conference after announcing her retirement. Every time she played, she said it seemed like a farewell, which was physically and emotionally exhausting. Navratilova did, however, offer some advice to tennis players about why to not feel guilty or ashamed about saying no, if the situation demands it.

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She also discussed how the younger generation is making inroads, following in the footsteps of legends such as Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Serena, and concluded by saying she isn’t concerned about the future of tennis.

Who do you think will take up the mantle once the rest of the ‘Big Three’ retire?