'The most consequential one for my life': Martina Navratilova reflects on her 1975 defection

Former world number one Martina Navratilova has opened up about what was her feelings during the time when she defected in 1975. The 68-year-old, who is regarded as one of the greatest women’s tennis player in the history of the sport in the Open era, having won as many as 18 Grand Slam titles, in the early phase of her career represented Czechoslovakia at the global stage.

Navratilova appeared in the US Open in 1975, where she lost to another former world number one, Chris Evert, in the semifinal in straight sets with a score of 6-4, 6-4. It was her third appearance in the main draw of the fourth and final Grand Slam despite being just 18.

The next day, Navratilova informed the authorities that she wanted to defect from Czechoslovakia and become a permanent resident of the United States. Her wish came tru,e and she received a green card in a month and her passport in six years. Defection from the countries which were once part of the USSR was common back in the day.

According to the list available on the internet, as many as 165 notable people managed to defect from countries in the USSR between 1924 and 1990. Those people included writers, football players, table tennis players, sports scientists, politicians, rugby players, poets, photographers and musicians.

Navratilova recently appeared in a video on the Tennis Channel, where she spoke in detail about what happened on the day she decided to defect from Czechoslovakia and eventually became a U.S. citizen. Navratilova called the whole event ‘not’ her most ‘favourite’ memory but believes that event became the ‘most consequential’ one which impacted her life. “It's not my most favourite memory,” said Navratilova. “But it's the most consequential one for my life and everything that happened to me and my family. So yeah, 75 defection, that was pretty rough.”

All hell broke loose, says Navratilova

Navratilova revealed that the immigration officer informed her to arrive late so that no one could see her coming. Navratilova stated that despite following the protocol, the next day, the news broke in the Washington Post about her defection, which forced her to do a press conference as well. Navratilova also called the whole incident ‘rough’.

“Yeah, the immigration told us to come late so nobody would see us,” said Navratilova. “So we left there at 10 o'clock at night. Next day it's in the Washington Post that I defected. That's why I had to do a press conference because it was in the press. This is 75. It's not like, you know, they had cell phones and everything. It was rough. Then all hell broke loose at the press conference in Forest Hills. That's when I famously said I want to be number one. Little did I know that I would, you know, you just don't realise you're in the middle of a maelstrom when it's your life, but then it becomes so public.”

That year, the 1975, was a special one for Navratilova as she finished as the runner-up at the Australian and French Open and played in the semis at the US Open. After that, she had to wait for three more years to finally get another chance of winning a Grand Slam which came at Wimbledon in 1978 where she defeated Evert in the final with a score of 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. Navratilova’s first US Open title came after another five years in 1983 where she defeated Evert once again in the final, this time in straight sets with a score of 6-1, 6-3. Navratilova, during the same interview, was asked about her favourite memory of the US Open and she was quick to highlight her first title in New York.

“So of course, winning the first one in 83 against Chris and I think winning the last one with the Bob Ryan, winning the mixed doubles,” said Navratilova. “I mean, it was totally unexpected, but I picked a good partner, an amazing partner. He just got into the Hall of Fame with his brother, Mike. So yeah, those two, I think it kind of bookmarked it, although I won my first title here in 77.”