Martina Navratilova ends coaching partnership with Agnieszka Radwanska

After almost four months together, Agnieszka Radwanska and Martina Navratilova are officially done their coaching relationship, Radwanska announced through her Twitter account on Friday afternoon.

Navratilova was brought on in December as one of the first supercoaches on the women's tour, a trend that has become increasingly popular on the men's tour, in the hopes that her 18 Grand Slam titles and former World No.1 status would bring the former World No.2 closer to her first Grand Slam title.

Radwanska, whose best result so far in 2015 has been a semifinal run on home soil at the Katowice Open, will continue to work with her main coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski. Here's the Radwanska tweet:

I just wanted to thank Martina for her time and efforts over these last few months. It was a great experience to work with one of the all time greats. However, we both agreed that as Martina could not commit 100% to the project then it was not going to work as a long term partnership. We will stay friends and I wish her all the best in her personal and professional life.

I am stepping down as Agnieszka's part-time coach," Navratilova said in a statement.

"I think I underestimated the time it would take to make this a proper and good situation for both Agnieszka and me. I have quite a busy family life now as well as my TV work and other business commitments, which all combined make it impossible to dedicate the amount of time necessary to do a great job. Tomas Wiktorowski, Agnieszka's full-time coach, certainly knows what he is doing and he will be able to continue to build on some of the adjustments we were trying to make. I really enjoyed working with Aga and her whole team and I wish her all the best for the rest of the season."

wtatennis.com

Well that didn't last long, too bad. 

Agnieszka Radwanska on Navratilova: "Now I really have a great team"

Agnieszka Radwanska says she is benefiting from Martina Navratilova's coaching and now has the team she wants in place.


The No. 6-ranked Radwanska began working with the tennis legend during the off-season, and is bidding to win her first Grand Slam title. She has not dropped a set during her first three matches at the Australian Open.



"I think it's a lot of things, but of course on this level, I think it's just really small details that are very important. Of course everybody can play great tennis, but if you want to win a match or Grand Slam, you really have to do everything right," said Radwanska.


Navratilova is still doing commentary for Tennis Channel while coaching Radwanska. "But, well, I think we could find and plan that everything is working for us both. Of course she's also commentating, but she's always there when I'm practicing or playing match. I think it's easy to do that. We find a plan every day very good," said Radwanska.



Radwanska, a former Wimbledon finalist, was coached by her father for much of her career. She says she is pleased with the arrangement she has now, combining her regular coach with Navratilova during some weeks of the season.


"I just have two coaches, which was my dad and now Tomasz Wiktorowski, wh[o] is still here, and Martina is another coach in the team," she said. "I didn't really have much other coaches in my career. I think now I really have great team. I have everyone that I need and everything is working pretty well. I hope that stay like this for long."


Radwanska plays Venus Willians in the fourth round.


tennis.com



I gotta agree, even despite the loss to Venus I think working with Navratilova might just bring her that first illusive grand slam title.


We might have to wait until the French Open, or more likely Wimbledon.

Martina Navratilova: Lack of off season contributed to Roger Federer's early Australian Open exit

18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova chimed in on Roger Federer’s shocking Day 5 upset, saying that the Swiss maestro could have used a longer off-season.

Federer, who won his first career Davis Cup in late November before heading for India to take part in the Inaugural IPTL season, started 2015 with six consecutive victories, including the Brisbane title. But he fell on Friday to Italian Andreas Seppi in four sets, snapping his run of eleven consecutive trips to the Australian Open semifinals.

“You have to think that a lack of an off-season had something to do with it,” Navratilova said. “He had to be low on reserves coming into the tournament. As healthy as he was, playing great tennis, the Brisbane match that he beat Raonic in the finals took a lot out of him as well.

“But Davis Cup, and he played the IPTL, traveling all over the place and he had a week of exhibitions in Switzerland, it’s just too much and when you get older it gets hard.”

Navratilova isn’t surprised that Federer is more prone to the occasional off day, but despite the fact that he’ll be 34 by the last major of the year, the Czech legend still--after much unpleasant on-air deliberation--says she thinks he’ll take No. 18 home before he hangs up the stick for good.

“Can he [win a Slam]? Yes. Will he? The problem is when you get older," she said, "it’s not that you’re not consistent enough, it’s when you are a little off you’re more off. You can still win matches like that when you’re 25, 27, but when you’re thirty something, on your bad days you lose. And you can’t afford to have that bad day.”

Then came the aformentioned deliberation, and some good-natured ribbing from her on-air colleagues. Then, finally, the answer we all wanted to hear.

“I still have to say yes he will,” said Navratilova. Then, swiftly and mercifully, the subject changed.

tennisnow.com

Agnieszka Radwanska hires Martina Navratilova as coach

KRAKOW, Poland - There's been a trend in tennis lately, particularly on the men's side, for top players to hire "supercoaches" - former top players, usually legendary players - to help push them to the next level. In many cases it's worked, for example Andy Murray's breakthroughs with Ivan Lendl.

On Monday night, the supercoach trend made its way to the women's side through a single tweet:


So happy to announce @Martina as the newest member of my coaching team!

Last week, Agnieszka Radwanska told the Polish press she would be hiring a supercoach - she didn't name names, but she did say they were a former Grand Slam winner with coaching experience.

It would hard to top Martina Navratilova as a supercoach. Navratilova won 59 Grand Slam titles - 18 in singles, 31 in doubles and 10 in mixed doubles. She also reached World No.1 in both disciplines, spending 332 weeks as World No.1 in singles and a record 237 weeks as World No.1 in doubles.

This is Navratilova's first major coaching role and she will join forces with Tomasz Wiktorowski to become part of Radwanska's coaching team. They will begin working together after Christmas.

"I did not sleep very well last night, thinking about getting back into match mode and the competitions," Navratilova said of the new partnership with Radwanska. "I am really excited about this opportunity to join Agnieszka's team and work with Tomasz and it is going to be a fun challenge. I was delighted when Agnieszka asked me if I would collaborate with Tomasz and I can't wait to get started."

"I am absolutely delighted that Martina has agreed to help me and my team next season," Radwanska said. "She is my idol in tennis and I am honored we will be working together. Her achievements speak for themselves and I hope that I can learn from all her experience. My goal is to win a Grand Slam, so to have someone with Martina's accomplishments in my corner is going to be hugely advantageous and give me a big boost. We are originally from a similar part of the world so we share an understanding about tennis and life, which I'm sure will translate into a successful relationship."

Radwanska's current coach, Wiktorowski, echoed the excitement. "I have been discussing this idea with Aga for a couple of months now and Martina is absolutely the perfect person to add to the camp. We can all learn a lot from her and we are hopeful that she can help us take that next step."


Am very excited to be working with @ARadwanska and her team:), should be a fun ride!!!

wtatennis.com

Martina Hingis & Navratilova back in Adelaide for World Tennis Challenge

COMING back to Adelaide for Tuesday's World Tennis Challenge was a "no brainer" for tennis royalty Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova.


They touched down yesterday and will thrill crowds over the next three nights when they join men's legends like Mats Wilander, Pat Cash and Yannick Noah in exhibition matches at Memorial Drive.


The two Martinas, holders of 23 grand slam singles titles between them, both said it was an easy decision to return to SA, after being won over by its knowledgeable tennis crowd and wineries in 2013.


"My first tournament ever in Australia was here in 1974 and it was just so nice to come back to the same place last year,'' Navratilova said. "The crowd was so great, they really appreciated us. They appreciate good tennis and it made it so much fun to play."


Hingis said playing with Navratalova, whom she was named after, was still a thrill.


The 33-year-old tentatively came out of retirement this year to play in a handful of WTA doubles events, but is looking forward to a more relaxed atmosphere here.


A big fan of SA's wineries, Hingis also hopes to sneak up to the Hills to partake in one of her other loves - horse riding.


"It was a great experience here last year, going to the vineyards and playing in front of such a great crowd in Adelaide,'' she said.


"It was great fun playing with Martina and I think we played some good tennis, which is what it's all about."


heraldsun.com.au

Martina Hingis & Martina Navratilova face-off in Adelaide

MARTINA Navratilova - winner of 59 grand slam titles - is coming to Adelaide and she won't just be playing tennis.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Navratilova, as well as Swiss legend Martina Hingis, will be the first women to compete in the World Tennis Challenge when they take to the court at Memorial Drive from January 8-10.

They join legends Pat Cash, Mats Wilander, Yannick Noah and Henri Leconte for the three-day event.

While she's here, Navratilova said she would take the chance to push one of her pet issues - the legalisation of gay marriage.

"I am always involved in that debate - when is that going to be decided?" she said on the phone from Paris this week.

"That (the debate) was going on when I was at the Australian Open in January. I don't know what they are waiting for. It's just a matter of time."

While the format for the event is yet to be finalised, Navratilova, 56, will be playing against and with Hingis, and the pair will also compete in mixed doubles.

So, can she beat the 32-year-old Hingis, the winner of five grand slam singles titles and one of the most graceful players of all time?

"At singles, absolutely not," Navratilova admitted. "She's got 20 years on me, I don't think so. "I have played a bit against her (Hingis) and I love it.

"I played singles with her in Liverpool last year on grass - mostly it's been doubles or mixed doubles. It's great to be on the court with Martina."

WTC co-director Mark Woodforde said he was "ecstatic" Navratilova and Hingis had signed on.

"We've been discussing adding women for a year now," he said.

"We don't want the product to become worn out. We want to stay one step ahead."

Woodforde said tournament directors drew up a hit-list of women's tennis legends last year that included Navratilova, Hingis, Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, Monica Seles, Lindsay Davenport and others.

But after seeing the interest John McEnroe generated among older fans at this year's event, Navratilova was always at the top.

Woodforde first mentioned the tournament to the Czech-born great at last year's Australian Open and eventually got her on board.

He wants to sign four female players for the 2014 event.

The State Government recently extended its sponsorship of the event for three years and Tourism Minister Gail Gago said signing the two Martina's was a coup.

"Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis are true stars of the game and I know thousands of fans will join us in welcoming them to South Australia," she said.

For the past four years, Navratilova has lived in Paris with her partner, 41-year-old Russian former beauty queen Julia Lemigova.

The relationship has given Navratilova, who came out as a lesbian in 1981, an "instant family".

"My girlfriend has two kids, so now I have two kids, too," she said. I didn't have to give birth, so that's good."

heraldsun.com

Martina Hingis to take part in Family Circle Cup event

Legends to join Family Circle Cup event “40LOVE” – Tennis News

Some of the biggest names of women’s tennis, which include Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King will take part in the event “40LOVE” being held on the occasion of 40^th Birthday of the Family Circle Cup.

Tracy Austin and Martina Hingis will join Evert and Navratilova for an exhibition match at the Family Circle stadium on 7^th April.

King and Virginia Wade will take up the role of honorary coaches. From the men’s side, Jimmy Connors and Aaron Krickstein will feature at the event.

Family Circle Cup was first held in 1973. It is one of the oldest tournaments in women’s tennis. Rosemary Casals, who won the inaugural event, will be joining the evening.

The event that is being called "40LOVE: A Night of Empowerment Celebrating 40 Years of the Family Circle Cup” will give tribute to the nine players who laid the foundation of the women’s professional tennis. 

Those nine players, who are known as The Original 9, include Billie Jean King, Judy Dalton, Nancy Richey, Kerry Melville, Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Rosie Casals and Julie Heldman.

Family Circle Cup’s tournament director Bob Moran said, "This commemoration is designed to celebrate our 40th year in professional tennis and honor the incredible women who made it all possible with their courage and steadfast determination for equality.”

He added, "The Original 9 served as a catalyst for change in not only women's tennis, but helped shift our country's attitude toward equality as a whole. I truly believe that this is an evening that should be experienced by every generation from daughter to grandmother."

Nikki Haley, the Governor of South Carolina, will also attend the event.

Family Circle Cup, which is one of the 12 Premier-level tournaments on the WTA Tour, will be held from 31^st March to 8^th April at the Daniel Island in Charleston, USA.

Some of the top current players including Serena Williams, Venus Williams and Samantha Stosur have already confirmed their participation in this year’s tournament.

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark defeated Russian Elena Vesnina in the final to capture the title at the last edition of the event in 2011.

blogs.bettor.com

Caroline Wozniacki lashes out at Hingis & Navratilova

Caroline Wozniacki may have lost her no. 1 ranking but the Dane has not lost her sharp tongue as she lashed out at former world no.1s Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis for saying she did not deserve to be ranked no. 1 since she had not won a Slam.

"I would never say Martina was No. 1 when there was no-one playing, or that she was the best when no-one was playing. That would be disrespectful," Wozniacki said in Dubai where she is playing this week's Premier WTA event.

"I think I have to be honest, lost a little bit of respect. Because I respect what they have achieved. "She (Navratilova) won so many Grand Slams, her touch was unbelievable. Martina Hingis was unbelievable as well—for me my favorite player. But I think they should respect players that are playing now as well. Because they know how hard it is. You don't just wake up and say okay I want to win this tournament, and it just happens like this...They always have to make comments, and that's what they get paid for—to be comments, because they are not playing any more. And they need to stir everything up."

tennisworldusa.org

Oh, Snap!.  Although I can't recall Martina Hingis actually making any comments about Caroline not deserving her ranking, only Navratilova was making that perfectly clear.

Martina Hingis/Navratilova to take part in Rogers Cup Legends event

Tennis fans are going to be spoiled during the 2012 edition of the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank as four of the biggest names in tennis history will take to Centre Court to open the tournament at Uniprix Stadium in Montreal on the evening of Monday August 6. 

Four former World No. 1’s including Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis will put on an exhibition, wearing a microphone for the occasion to share their emotions with the crowd and give the spectators a whole new experience. 

"Our mission is to grow our sport and make it a popular sport to play," said Rogers Cup tournament director Eugène Lapierre. "W e believe that not only willl we please the fans who experienced this golden age of tennis, but we also hope that this event will create life long memories for our younger fans." 

Together, Agassi, Courier, Navratilova and Hingis won 524 tournaments, including 85 Grand Slam titles. They left their mark in tennis and also defined their era. Whether it was Agassi’s famous jean shorts, Navratilova’s domination of the women’s game, Courier’s consistency or Hingis’ versatility, all four legends have been immortalized within the sport. 

For the first time, main draw play at the Rogers Cup presented by National Bank will begin on Tuesday August 7 and the final will be played on Monday evening, August 13 at 7 p.m.

oyetimes.com

Navratilova agrees with top tennis elite striking in effort to stream-line schedule

Former Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova believes the sport's leading male players are right to consider going on strike in a bid to take control of their overcrowded schedule.

Navratilova knows from experience just how draining life on the tennis circuit can be for top stars and she has sympathy for the growing discontent among stars like Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

World number four Murray recently revealed players have had enough of being pushed into gruelling schedules by the ATP, who govern the men's Tour, and are likely to discuss the possibility of strike action at a meeting in Shanghai next month.

The threat has been criticised by some, but Navratilova, winner of 18 grand slam singles titles, believes the likes of Murray, Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer would be right to flex their muscles should the powers that be not listen to their concerns.

"If it's the only way they can get to that point, that's what they have to do - if they can unify themselves enough and if that's the last resort," Navratilova told BBC Radio Five Live.

"Without the top players, you really don't have anything and if they band together like that then the powers that be have to talk to them and listen to them.

"They have been complaining about the long schedule for a long, long time and nothing has happened. The schedule is just as long.

"We're the only sport that does not have an off season. For the guys who are still playing in December, or even without the Davis Cup, they have about four weeks, then they start up in January.

"It's crazy, You can't do that year after year after year. It's going to take its toll which means you're career is going to be shorter, you're not going to play as well, you're going to be injured. Nobody wins in that scenario."

Navratilova had concerns about the demands on the leading players on the women's tour when she was at her peak.

But she admits the sport is far more draining both physically and mentally these days.

"I was complaining about the calendar being too long 25 years ago. We have shortened it on the women's side - I think the women play about a month less than the guys," she said.

"But now, especially with Davis Cup, for Nadal or Djokovic or Federer the schedule is just untenable.

"Nowadays the players travel much more than we did. The schedule is more spread out over the whole world.

"They're playing on hard surfaces, with metal rackets, everybody hits the ball harder, it's definitely more taxing on the body.

"When someone in as unbelievable shape as Nadal runs out of gas at the US Open, it's too much.

"You only have one body, one career, you want to make the most of it. I don't see why Andy Murray should be criticised for taking control of his life."

Martina Hingis wins Wimbledon Legends doubles with Lindsay Davenport

Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Lindsay Davenport of the United States defeated Martina Navratilova of the United States and Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-4, to win the title in Wimbledon Ladies Invitational Doubles.

It was a more tightly contested match than their 2011 French Open meeting, but the result was ultimately the same, as Hingis and Davenport broke their opponents four times in two sets.

Court 18 was packed with spectators who were thrilled to watch four great legends rekindle some of the magic that made them so great. 

All of the women had won Wimbledon titles in both singles and doubles during their careers, and the match featured three players who had held the No. 1 ranking at some point, the exception being Jana Novotna, whose career-high singles ranking was No. 2 in the world.

 10sballs.com

Martina vs Martina Liverpool International Exhibition '11

Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova Liverpool press conference

Martina Navratilova to retire after this year

Well, one of the all time greats in women's tennis Martina Navratilova says she's had enough and is ready for retirement at the end of this year.

Of course that's what she said in '94 and then came back in 2000 lol. But she says this is definite and that she will be retiring from playing professional tennis this year.

It's amazing I've never met a woman who almost at the age of fifty is still able to play doubles as great as she has. The woman is nothing if not dedicated.

Here is an article confirming the news from The Toronto Star