"I know I'd lose, there’s no way for me" - When Martina Navratilova ruled out the possibility of winning against men in a 'Battle of the Sexes' clash

Even after Martina Navratilova teamed up with Pam Shriver to beat Bobby Riggs and Vitas Gerulaitis in a 'Battle of the Sexes'-style contest in 1985, the American made one thing clear -- that she would be hard pressed to beat a man in singles.

The 1985 contest saw Navratilova and Shriver beat Gerulaitis, then a top 20 player, and Riggs, 67 years old at the time, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in straight sets. Despite the result, the encounter did not send the same shock waves across the sporting world like the original 'Battle of the Sexes' between Billie Jean King and Riggs.

For starters, many believed that a doubles contest was strategically easier to maneuver for the women even if they were not as strong individually as the men. Secondly, Riggs was considered a dead weight who did more harm than help to his partner on the night.

Speaking after the win to the Los Angeles Times, Martina Navratilova maintained her sentiment that she would have no way of competing against men in a one-on-one encounter, as she believed men were innately quicker and stronger.

The former World No. 1, in fact, revealed that her coach Mike Estep, seven years her senior, was still capable of beating her on the court more often than not.

"I know I would lose to a man. Mike (Estep), my coach, still beats me. There’s no way for me to compete. The men are quicker, stronger. I take it as a compliment that people even wonder how I would do,” Martina Navratilova said.

Navratilova did admit that there was a small chance she could beat a man, provided she could choose the opponent and the surface they played on. Even then, she believed that a male player with a strong serve would be able to beat her without breaking too much of a sweat.

"Maybe if I played someone like Harold Solomon, I’d have a chance. He’s not overpowering and he stays back. But if I played Steve Denton, who’s not as good a player as Solomon, I’d lose because he has such a strong serve. I couldn’t get it back very much,” Martina Navratilova said.

"The price hasn't been right" - Martina Navratilova on taking part in a singles 'Battle of the Sexes' clash

2022 US Open - Day 13

As expected, there was a lot of talk at the time urging Martina Navratilova to take part in a singles 'Battle of the Sexes' contest. Navratilova, who won two singles Slams and two doubles Slams in 1985, was encouraged by many to take on the ATP No. 100 in a one-on-one clash.

The 18-time Grand Slam champion, however, declined, joking that the "price hadn't been right" and that she might consider it later if she ever got into trouble with the IRS.

"The price hasn’t been right,” Navratilova said. “Maybe near the end of my career, I’ll consider it . . . if I’m in trouble with the IRS.”