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Navratilova is all praise for Sorenstam
Paris, May 31: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has backed Annika Sorenstam over the golfer`s participation at last week`s men`s USPGA men`s tour, saying the issue of her gender was irrelevant.
Paris, May 31: Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has backed Annika Sorenstam over the golfer's participation at last week's men's USPGA men's tour, saying the issue of her gender was irrelevant.
Navratilova, who is partnering India's Leander Paes in the mixed doubles at the French Open, praised Sorenstam's showing at last week's event.
The 46-year-old winner of 167 singles titles and 168 doubles titles, including this year's Australian Open mixed doubles, insisted that, had it not been for the storm of media attention which accompanied her performance, Sorenstam would have made the cut at the bank of Colonial Tournament in Texas.
"She definitely belonged out there as a golfer. Forget what sex she is, she's a hell of a golfer. From tee to green she played the best golf out there," she said yesterday.
"She couldn't putt because the pressure was the biggest pressure anybody has ever had on them.
"Nobody ever had that much pressure on them, not Tiger Woods, not Jack Nicklaus. Nobody ever had that much pressure on them in one round of golf as Annika Sorenstam had that Thursday. She held up beautifully.
"Putting, if nerves get in the way, that's where it will get in the way the most. If she just putted average for her she would have been three or four under par and blown the field away," said Czech-born naturalised American Navratilova.
Bureau Report
Navratilova, who is partnering India's Leander Paes in the mixed doubles at the French Open, praised Sorenstam's showing at last week's event.
The 46-year-old winner of 167 singles titles and 168 doubles titles, including this year's Australian Open mixed doubles, insisted that, had it not been for the storm of media attention which accompanied her performance, Sorenstam would have made the cut at the bank of Colonial Tournament in Texas.
"She definitely belonged out there as a golfer. Forget what sex she is, she's a hell of a golfer. From tee to green she played the best golf out there," she said yesterday.
"She couldn't putt because the pressure was the biggest pressure anybody has ever had on them.
"Nobody ever had that much pressure on them, not Tiger Woods, not Jack Nicklaus. Nobody ever had that much pressure on them in one round of golf as Annika Sorenstam had that Thursday. She held up beautifully.
"Putting, if nerves get in the way, that's where it will get in the way the most. If she just putted average for her she would have been three or four under par and blown the field away," said Czech-born naturalised American Navratilova.
Bureau Report