Martina Navratilova once opened up about whether her decision to move to the United States had turned out the way she had hoped. While the former World No. 1 acknowledged the many advantages she gained from becoming an American citizen, she also pointed out the country’s shortcomings.
Navratilova was just 18 years old when she fled her native country of Czechoslovakia to seek political asylum in the United States in 1975. The bold move was prompted by the communist leadership disallowing her from competing in tournaments in America, where some of the biggest events were held. Having been stripped off her Czech citizenship, the 18-time Grand Slam champion then became an American citizen in 1981.
In a 2004 interview with Tennis Magazine, Martina Navratilova reflected on whether her move to the US had lived up to her hopes. The 18-time Grand Slam champion said that, in many ways, her experience had been a dream come true. Yet, she was very “distressed” about America’s global image, pointing out that it was the “most hated” country in the world.
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"One thing that distresses me is the way America has become the world's most hated nation. I can't change that, but it's disappointing because it's still a great country, even though we still leave so many behind," Martina Navratilova said.
"There are so many unemployed, evicted, with no health insurance. We can do better. Tennis has given me everything I could have dreamed of. America has given me everything I could have dreamed of in most cases, but also less in some cases," she added.
Navratilova, who publicly came out as a lesbian in 1981, also expressed her belief that the US was lagging behind European countries and Canada when it came to issues like gay rights.
"There are some areas, like gay rights, where America could be further ahead. We seem to be making some progress, but we're still behind most of Europe and Canada. Overall, though, it's a slam dunk," she said.
Nevertheless, Martina Navratilova recognized that the move was a success overall, having spoken about how harrowing it had been for her mother to live under the communist regime in their home country.
Martina Navratilova: "I didn't feel I belonged anywhere until I came to America for the first time... I honestly believe I was born to be American"
While she may have had grievances with certain aspects of the United States, Martina Navratilova felt that she was destined to be an American. In her 1985 autobiography, the former World No. 1 disclosed that it was only when she visited the US as a teenager that she finally felt a sense of belonging.
Navratilova also asserted that, even as a young child, she felt more American than Czech because of her stubbornness and independence.
"I was so stubborn, so independent, that I was more American than Czech, even as a little kid," Navratilova wrote.
"I didn't feel I belonged anywhere until I came to America for the first time when I was 16. I'm not a mystic about many things -- I tend to be pretty pragmatic about life -- but I honestly believe I was born to be American," she added.
Nevertheless, Martina Navratilova has been open about how her move to the United States made life difficult for her parents and sister, admitting that they "suffered a lot."
