Martina Navratilova doesn’t believe Serena Williams had viral illness

Something was clearly wrong with Serena Williams at Wimbledon on Tuesday.

But Martina Navratilova doesn’t believe that the world’s top-ranked player simply had a viral illness, as the tournament referee’s office and the WTA later said.

“I think virus, whatever they’re saying it was, I don’t think that was it,” the nine-time Wimbledon champion told ESPNW. “I think it’s clear that’s not the case. I don’t know what it is, but I hope Serena will be OK.”

Williams, playing doubles with sister Venus against Kristina Barrois and Stefanie Voegele, appeared disoriented and was barely able to stand up, let alone get the ball over the net. Three games in, the sisters defaulted on the match.

Navratilova didn’t offer any theories of her own about Williams’ condition. Nor did she really express why she’s not buying the explanation being given.

“You don’t know what’s going on, but virus was not it, that much is clear,” Navratilova said.

The current analyst for the Tennis Channel added that Williams never should have taken the court in that condition. The five-time Wimbledon champ, who had been upset by Alize Cornet in the third round of the singles tournament just days earlier, was examined by medical staff for about 10 minutes before being allowed to take part in the match.

“It’s the most inexplicable thing of all that she was clearly in no state to play a match and that with all the people around her, that they didn’t stop her from getting on the court,” Navratilova said. “... Everybody was put in such a difficult position, including the WTA. It’s not right. It defies logic on so many fronts.”

She added: “Once you step onto the court, you’re a professional tennis player, you’ve got to be ready to play. No matter what is ailing you or no matter if you did anything to get you in that state or you’re sick or whatever, you don’t step on the court. You don’t step on the court, no matter what.”

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