So after ambushing Marc Cherry at a WGA rally Wedesday, I'm driving on the 101 to meet co-workers for lunch when my cell rings: It's Martina Navratilova! Holy *@%#! I say to her, "Martina, hi. So great to hear from you. Uh, I'm on the freeway right now." She says, "Oh, that's not good. Want to call me back?" About 10 minutes later, I do. We have a great talk for a profile that will run in the Daily News next week.
I couldn't wait to share just a few of her comments with you until then but remember, this is just an appetizer:

Of her mixed doubles win at the US Open two Saturdays ago with Bob Bryan she says: "At this age (50 next month), I have no right to play tennis like I did."

On same-sex marriage: "I call it same-gender marriage because people immediately think of sex. It's about love, it's about caring, understanding and respecting one another and being willing to die for one another. I'm obviously a strong advocate for same-gender marriage and will keep fighting for that."

On LGBT rights: "We can't be ignored anymore. In the current administration, I've never heard (Pres. Bush) say the word lesbian and he can't even say the word homosexual."

Anyway, Martina will be in Los Angeles next week to receive an award from Lambda Legal "for a lifetime of courage, integrity and commitment to the LGBT community."
Of the Lambda honor Martina says: "For me, it's not about equal rights for lesbians but for human beings. I've been fighting that battle for a long time."
I'll post the full article on this great lady next week! Look for it!

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Photo Copyright@2006Charity.com

I really can't believe my life sometimes, like Thursday night when I met one of my all-time heroes, Billie Jean King, face-to-face for the first time. To look at her, so down to Earth and in the moment, it was a wonderful experience. Those eyes are so alive. filled with so much life. She is extraordinary.

I had interviewed Billie Jean King for various articles on the telephone in recent years but the only previous time I had seen her in person was at Wimbledon in 1991 - my first trip to Great Britain. I spotted her watching Tim Mayotte play from a balcony of what i think was the HBO booth. I snapped a photo of a far away Billie Jean on that day and have always cherished it. It was so ironic too because as I was taking the tube (subway) to Wimbledon that first day, I thought about what she wrote in her autobiography about the magical the All England Club and it was in my head when I first saw Centre Court and the rest of the grounds.

Anyway, fast-forward 15 years and there we are having a chat. A photo was taken of us that I have to track down so I can post it.

I became a fan of Billie Jean for life in 1982 when, at the age of 38, she upset reigning US Open champion Tracy Austin, 19, to make it to the semifinals of Wimbledon. This was a year after she was outed by a former lover who was suing her for palimony. Billie Jean got through that ordeal and I was always so impressed that she was able to come back and play for a few more years with great success, including a run to the Wimbledon semis in 1983 as well.

This summer has been such a sweet time for BJK, highlighted by the United States Tennis Assn. naming the National Tennis Center after her. That was topped off by 2006 US Open champ Maria Sharapova receiving her $1 million-plus check in prize money and having the presence of mind to thank the pioneer of the women's pro tour.

"Her kind words and generosity towards me I think was a reflection of her knowing the history of women's tennis and of tennis and understanding some of the things my generation went through," Billie Jean said Thursday. "She connected then and now and it's very rare that we see that."

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Got to attend The 14th Annual Advanta World Team Tennis Smash Hits fundraising event Thursday night which was, as always, hosted by great buds Elton John and Billie Jean King - and more than $350,000 was raised to fight HIV and AIDS in Orange County and around the world. The event at the Bren Center in Irvine included a live auction of such great items as a trip to Wimbledon or the U.S. Open as well as three tennis matches.

Billie Jean was upbeat but reminded people to be aware of the bigger picture: "We need to get young people in high school and Jr. High to realize that AIDS has not gone away...we've got to make a difference and make sure children aren't born with AIDS."

Photo Copyright @ 2006 Charity.com

Watched from a courtside seat as Elton teamed with U.S. number one Andy Roddick in doubles just days after Roddick lost the U.S. Open final to Roger Federer. His showing up for Elton and Billie Jean says a lot about this classy player who has to leave for Russia in a few days to represent the U.S. in the Davis Cup. Elton isn't a speedster around the court but he has solid strokes and wonderful touch.
"I thought Elton played great tonight," Billie Jean told me after the match. "I think it's very brave of him. He loves to play and plays all the time. Can you imagine? It's like one of us trying to play the piano in front of all these people. I've been a back-up vocalist for Elton about 40 times and it's scary because I can't sing at all! But I like to sing, I'm pretty good in the shower."

Elton held his own on the court as he and Andy faced Anna Kournakova and Renee Stubbs, both whom have been ranked number one in the world in doubles. Elton ripped a forehand winner on set point to win the celebrity doubles match in overtime, 5-4. You go Rocket Man!

What made the atmosphere all the more fun was the playing between games of such Elton classics as "Crocodile Rock," "Your Song" and best of all, "Philadelphia Freedom" which he wrote 32 years ago for Billie Jean when she was playing World Team Tennis for the Philadelphia Freedoms. The beat of the song reminded him of how Billie Jean used to stomp around the court between points.

Roddick teamed with Kournikova for some mixed doubles but they lost to Pete Sampras and Stubbs 5-4. The final match of the night was a doozy since is pitted the resurgent Roddick against the retired Sampras who is widely considered the greatest player of all time with 7 Wimbledon titles, five US Opens and two Australian Opens, among many other titles and scoires of records. Sampras beat Roddick in both sets they played (5-3, 5-3) but it was high-quality stuff.

The night was special and really a tribute to this extraordinary friendship between two very extraordinary people who continue, in the 60s, to show younger generations what passion and commitment are all about.

"Elton and I always wanted to do something together with music and sports," King said. "Elton's been very dear and close to me. He gives back so much and it's a privledge to do this."

Elton said of King: "We are both as enthusiastic about what we do as we were when we started out, we're both very focused." He said having the USTA National Tennis Center named after his friend "one of the most moving things I have ever seen. She's a special woman and I really love her - very much."

Billie Jean, looking terrifically fit these days, says she still hits the tennis court whenever she can, doing half-court drills because bad knees limits her running.
"I have the same intensity as when I was playing. I only feel really great when I'm playing tennis - I feel connected to myself. To feel the ball against the strings, I just love it. I just feel emotionally, spiritually and physically connected."

For additional information, please visit the Elton John AIDS Foundation at www.ejaf.org and World Team Tennis at www.wtt.com.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Martina Navratilova will be in Los Angeles later this month to receive an award from Lambda Legal at an event to be held at the Directors Guild of America. "Out in Hollywood" will cover it. But I wanted to share with you a couple of really good stories I came across this morning on Sports Illustrated.com and on ESPN.com that really sum up her career and Martina's last US Open which ended over the weekend with a mixed doubles title.

Sports Illustrated.com writer Andrew Lawrence has posted a nicely written tribute to Martina Navratilova that I want to share.

Here is the beginning of it:

NEW YORK -- It's the way Andre Agassi would've gone out if he had had the choice: up two sets, 40-30 and serving for the match. And she didn't even have to raise her racket. An Ashe Stadium crowd of 60 percent capacity stood to their feet in applause, the significance of the moment not lost on them. Martina Navratilova responded in kind, batting her racket against her palm, then dropping into crouch before doubles partner Bob Bryan fired an 86 mph ace over her left shoulder. And just like that, it was over: 31 seasons, more than 2,000 matches and one 59th and final Grand Slam.

Posted by Greg Hernandez at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)