Q. Question for Martina and also Monica, and then perhaps afterward
Serena can comment. Just some general impressions on the current state
of the women’s game with the historical perspective and things that
you’re liking what you’re seeing and things you feel could be improved
upon, how it is relative to the men’s game right now with Nadal and
Federer, et cetera?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: I don’t think we need to compare men to women. I think women’s tennis has never been in better shape. We never know who’s going to be No. 1 at the end of the year. With the men it’s been a foregone conclusion until finally Nadal broke the mold last year.
I think women have been very entertaining and intriguing. Like I said, you don’t know who — we still don’t know who’s going to be No. 1 at the end of the year, and it’s just been changing hands so much.
You know, going into any Slam, any tournament, you don’t know who’s going to be at the end. I find it sort of double-dealing with sort of a double standard with — when Chris and I were dominating people, Oh, yeah, it’s always Chris and Martina in the finals. It’s like we always know who’s going to be there. Whereas with men, they have so much depth; you never know who’s going to win.
Now you have Nadal and Federer winning everything for five years, and women have been going back and forth, different No. 1s. Then it’s, Well, with men we have Federer and Nadal. They’re so great. But with women, nobody’s dominating.
It’s like you can’t have it both ways. So I find this double standard really annoying. Now with Kim coming back and playing so well last week, Sharapova is healthy hopefully playing again, we don’t know who’s going to win the US Open. We know who’s the favorite. She’s sitting right over there, but she’s got her work cut out. So I think women’s tennis is in great shape.
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: I don’t think we need to compare men to women. I think women’s tennis has never been in better shape. We never know who’s going to be No. 1 at the end of the year. With the men it’s been a foregone conclusion until finally Nadal broke the mold last year.
I think women have been very entertaining and intriguing. Like I said, you don’t know who — we still don’t know who’s going to be No. 1 at the end of the year, and it’s just been changing hands so much.
You know, going into any Slam, any tournament, you don’t know who’s going to be at the end. I find it sort of double-dealing with sort of a double standard with — when Chris and I were dominating people, Oh, yeah, it’s always Chris and Martina in the finals. It’s like we always know who’s going to be there. Whereas with men, they have so much depth; you never know who’s going to win.
Now you have Nadal and Federer winning everything for five years, and women have been going back and forth, different No. 1s. Then it’s, Well, with men we have Federer and Nadal. They’re so great. But with women, nobody’s dominating.
It’s like you can’t have it both ways. So I find this double standard really annoying. Now with Kim coming back and playing so well last week, Sharapova is healthy hopefully playing again, we don’t know who’s going to win the US Open. We know who’s the favorite. She’s sitting right over there, but she’s got her work cut out. So I think women’s tennis is in great shape.
