A name is a name is a name. Two great players, Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis, share a common name. Both are the same, yet are so different. One born in Czechoslovakia and the other in Switzerland, each has left an indelible mark on Womens tennis. Both were great singles and doubles players, both played with their heads as well as with their hands and feet, and both in their individual ways will be remembered for their contribution to the game, when so many others are long forgotten. The legendary accomplishments of Martina Navratilova will never be equaled, the tennis records she owns will probably stand forever, and when people in the distant future discuss the greatest Women athletes of any sport, the name of Martina Navratilova will always come to mind. Her career spanned two generations of tennis players, she was the Number One player for 7 years. She dominated her sport, and is still playing on the World Team Tennis circuit as a guest celebrity. This elder Martina won 18 singles and 41 doubles Grand Slam titles, including a record 9 Wimbledons. Over the course of her long career she won 167 singles titles and 178 doubles titles. It seems unbelievable that when we talk about the new crop of players who reach the top ten in the world, we praise them for winning 2 or 3 titles or their first Grand Slam when in the same breath we talk about Navratilova who won 345 titles!

The younger of the two Martinas, rose to the top of the rankings when she was barely out of diapers, and when she thought a training bra was some kind of pet that needed tuition. She won her first Grand Slam title when she was sweet sixteen in Australia, she was the youngest Wimbledon winner ever, and was the youngest player to reach the top ranked spot. She won a total of 14 Grand Slam titles and remained at the top for 4 years. Always ready to share a joke or speak her mind, she became a controversial figure on and off the tennis court, and although banned from participating in competitive Australian open tennis she still heads up Team Martina Hingis in charity and celebrity events. She is a friend of Anna Kournikova, and the two of them make a remarkably glamorous pair. She brought her own brand of magic to the tennis court, and although she never possessed any over powering shots, her selection of beautifully placed shots dominated her competitors.

Like her namesake she had soft hands and the knack of being able to play the right shot at the right time, her volleys were exceptional which is one of the reasons she was so good at doubles, but as good as she was she did not compare to the volleying expertise of the older Martina. But then nobody did. I have checked the records but have been unable to find an occasion when they played against each other. Maybe now that they are both retired they will meet in a friendly celebrity match.

Overshadowed by his older brother’s world class performances on the tennis courts of the world, Patrick has settled into a niche that John could not hope to fill, even on his most placid day. Patrick McEnroe has become more than a coach, more than a motivator for Davis Cup players, and more than a TV commentator, he has quietly slipped into a position that was made for him as the USA’s Elite Tennis General Manager and program supervisor. The man on whose shoulders rests the future of US tennis, the man who will decide which young players will be given the support and help of the USTA in their quest to find future stars to represent the US in the Davis and Fed Cups. And by all accounts he is the best man for the job.

Billy Jean King said of Patrick’s appointment, “Patrick is a strong leader and understands the players, the sport and what it takes to build champions. He is a driven man of the highest character, and I look forward to working with him to develop American champions.”

Pete Sampras added his comments by saying, “The USTA made a great choice in selecting Patrick. He is a good friend. A great Davis Cup Captain, and a solid ambassador for the sport of tennis. I will help and support him in any way I can.”

Similar statements were made by just about everyone who is involved in tennis in the USA, all his Davis Cup team members, his big brother, his former coach at Stanford, and Chris Everet who will host many of the young hopefuls at her Boca Raton training facility.

Patrick was a world class tennis player in his own right, and unfortunately for him the younger brother by seven years to one of the greatest players to ever play the game. “It was only natural for people to make the comparison between us, John was a better player than me, it’s a s simple as that,” is how Patrick rationalizes his career. He did win one singles title and sixteen doubles titles including a Grand Slam win at Roland Garros. He was also a member of the Davis Cup team and represented the USA in three consecutive years. He has gone about his business in a quiet professional manner, he has become the voice of tennis on both ESPN and CBS Sports, and with his knowledge and insight to the Australian open tennis players his opinions have earned him the respect and following of countless tennis fans. At 41 he has emerged as the ‘wise old man’ of tennis, even his hair has turned grey, but it is his devotion and love for tennis that has kept his keen analysis of each player sharp and interesting to his viewers and listeners. As you would expect he married his childhood sweetheart Melissa Enrico, a Toni Award winning broadway actress, they have a 2 year old daughter Victoria, and are expecting twins in December. I guess that old adage is true, ‘good things happen to good people’.

The 2008 finals of the World Team Tennis championships were held in Georgia this past weekend, with Sir Elton’s team evening the series at 8-8 with a win over Billy Jean King’s team. The real winner was Elton’s AID Foundation and the Atlanta AID’s Partnership which received over $400,000 in donations.

For more than 28 years this ‘fun’ charitable event has been a highlight of the US tennis calendar. Each team is comprised of 2 men and 2 women and a ‘playing’ coach, the events include mens and womens singles and doubles and a mixed doubles match. Sometimes the coaches join in if their team needs a little help or if the crowd demands their participation, but any match that includes the coach is not counted toward the winner’s tally. When Elton John teamed with Andy Roddick to defeat Anna Kournikova and Martina Navratilova, it didn’t count as a win for the Elton John team, but the enthusiastic crowd loved every moment.

The participants in this worthy event read like the who’s who of tennis and include, Andre Agassi, Tracy Austin, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Lindsay Davenport, Chris Everet, Steffi Graf, Rod Laver, Anna Kournikova, Patrick Rafter, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova, Serena and Andre Agassi, Tracy Austin, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors, Lindsay Davenport, Chris Everet, Steffi Graf, Rod Laver, Anna Kournikova, Patrick Rafter, John McEnroe, Andy Roddick, Pete Sampras, Monica Seles, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams.

One of the highlights of this year’s event pitted leading US junior Melanie Oudin against veteran Martina Navratilova in the ladies singles. Melanie who is just 17, and 34 years younger than her opponent managed to squeeze out a victory with a well executed drop shot that Martina failed to reach. It was a shot Melanie had been unable to return on 9 different occasions during the match, and she executed the shot to perfection to win a close game, “it was the greatest experience of my tennis career to be able to play against a legend such as Martina, and winning or losing didn’t matter one bit.”

At the pre-match reception Billy Jean’s centre court Wimbledon seats were auctioned off for $21,000 each, a painting by Martina brought a bid of $17,000, and a secret bid was successful in winning Elton John’s piano bench.

The match results were as follows:

Anna Kournikova/Andy Roddick def. Martina Navratilova/Levine 5-4.

Andy Roddick def, Jesse Levine 5-2, 5-1.

Martina Navratilova/Jesse Levine def. Melanie Oudin/Andy Roddick 5-3.

Melanie Oudin def. Martina Navratilova 5-4.

The World Tennis Team concept was the brain child of Billy Jean King, and was first played 38 years ago to raise funds for charities dealing with AIDS related problems, Womens Equality issues and to help promote tennis among the young and under privileged. The celebrity charitable event is shown on TV each year and raises considerable amounts of money, but the actual team competition is played in the month of July in California. The competition is open to teams from anywhere in the world, and it would be a wonderful addition to have an event such as this one as a part of the upcoming Australian open 2009 in Melbourne.

I have to ask the question of all athletes, whether they’re tennis players or golfers, soccer players or wrestlers. How much is enough? The reason this has come to the forefront of my mind today is because I just read about Venus Williams reaching the semi final in Zürich where she is expected to win her first WTA title of 2009, and the grand prize of $95,000! She must pay more than this amount in taxes every month! I understand that she wants to earn points to get a berth in the season ending championships in Doha, but again I have to ask, why? Is it pride? Is it the publicity she seeks to help promote her clothing line? Is she under a contractual obligation?

She’s 28, super rich, has more money than she will ever be able to spend in her lifetime, she has family and friends, and yet off she goes to Switzerland to play in a rinky-dink tournament to win a mere pittance in prize money. Playing in another tournament, even in picturesque Switzerland has got to be old hat for Venus. Away from her home, without her friends, having to get up early, and all the other restrictions that go with competing, has got to be chore. Maybe she has another reason to be in Zürich. Maybe she keeps her fortune in a bank there, or maybe she’s enjoying a week away with her boyfriend. Whatever her reason, it’s her business and not mine! I’m a big fan of Venus and am not picking on her or criticizing her, but she is typical of many wealthy professional athletes who continue to compete when the money they will earn can make no significant difference to their lifestyles. Where does this motivation come from? What is it that drives these athletes to compete? Obviously it’s not the money for many of them.

Are they so one dimensional that their sport is their only interest? Is being on centre stage so fulfilling that it’s like a drug they just get enough of? Maybe they have spent so much of their lives honing their skills to become the best that they are not prepared to find a new direction or purpose in their lives.
I suppose Tiger Woods wants to surpass Jack Nicklaus as the best golfer, and Roger Federer wants to hold more records than Pete Sampras, until generations from now someone will come along and obliterate all their records.

Surely being in the top 100 of any sport is an immense accomplishment for anybody to achieve, and earning $10 million over a span of 5-7 years is, in my estimation, enough money to enable someone to enjoy a very nice life. I’m sure there are plenty of successful athletes who’s names never hit the headlines anymore because they are enjoying the rewards that their chosen sport has given them, and my hat is off to them. If one of you has a moment would you please call Venus for me, I’m worried about her!