The tennis guy
Hall of Fame
Q. In general do you subscribe to the theory that the general homogenization of surface in the game, that clay is faster, grass is slower, hard courts are maybe
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: Pretty slow.
Q. Even in the U.S.? You do?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: It's a bad thing. It's a bad thing, no question about it.
Q. You think they use more sand in the paint in U.S. hard courts today?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything's slower. All the courts are slower. I mean, Indian Wells, forget about it. You hit a great volley and, you know, the person's got five minutes to run it down and hit it by you.
So it's frustrating, yeah. You can't play a normal game. It should be equal. A great serve and volleyer of the same ability should play against a great baseliner and it's like half and half. Half the time this one, and half the time that one. So on this court, this one's slightly favored; on this court, that one's slightly favored.
Now the ball has gone completely in favor of the baseliner. It's a shame.
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: Pretty slow.
Q. Even in the U.S.? You do?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: It's a bad thing. It's a bad thing, no question about it.
Q. You think they use more sand in the paint in U.S. hard courts today?
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everything's slower. All the courts are slower. I mean, Indian Wells, forget about it. You hit a great volley and, you know, the person's got five minutes to run it down and hit it by you.
So it's frustrating, yeah. You can't play a normal game. It should be equal. A great serve and volleyer of the same ability should play against a great baseliner and it's like half and half. Half the time this one, and half the time that one. So on this court, this one's slightly favored; on this court, that one's slightly favored.
Now the ball has gone completely in favor of the baseliner. It's a shame.