‘In Denial for a Couple of…’ – Martina Navratilova Revealed Initial Reaction Upon Receiving a Devastating News in Her Life

Martina Navratilova had a lot of hurdles during her career that she overcame resiliently. She did not let people’s opinions or criticisms get to her head. However, the biggest challenge came to her after her retirement when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

The player detailed her conversation with her doctor and her approach after that. It was the biggest opponent that she had to fight. However, she did not let it weaken her will, and the player fought and recovered successfully.

How did Martina Navratilova react to the news of her cancer diagnosis?

Navratilova had retired from tennis after winning everything a player possibly can. Even after that, she made her comeback to win more titles. She maintained her fitness even after that and that is why when she was diagnosed, she was dumbfounded. In an old interview, she talked about the experience when Dr. Mindy Nagle called. Navratilova said, “You don’t forget the day your life is changed forever. My doctor, a good friend, says, ‘Are you sitting down?'” When Navratilova asked the reason, her doctor said, “It came back positive.”

Whatever happened next was totally unexpected. The 18-time grand slam champion said, “Positive is good.” The player did not know how to process the information. She said, “I was in denial for a couple of seconds and then I cried for, I don’t know, a minute.”

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However, the fighter in her did not stay silent for long and she looked forward to the treatment. She narrated, “Then I said OK, what do we do?”

A friendship beyond the court

The player fought her cancer bravely. Her arch-rival and friend Chris Evert cheered her up and prayed for her quick recovery. So, when Evert was diagnosed with 1C Ovarian cancer, Navratilova showed her loyalty to her friend and supported her during her treatment.

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The two players have always been each other’s greatest rivals and have pushed each other to become the greatest version of themselves. Such iconic rivalries and friendships are hard to come across!