Mcenroe Fires Volley At Navratilova, Who Smashes It Back Down His Throat

While John McEnroe remains beyond HBO’s grasp, another outspoken voice, Martina Navratilova, dropped into the cable network’s lap just in time to call the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament.

No shrinking violet about rendering her opinions, Navratilova joins Billie Jean King, John Lloyd and Jim Lampley on the HBO team that will cover Wimbledon, the two-week tournament that begins Monday at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club.

McEnroe, who’ll be in NBC’s booth for the event, has commented several times in the last couple of years that women are not qualified to analyze men’s matches.

He softened his stance last month, praising Mary Carillo, Navratilova and King for their expertise. But he also served up the notion that women are better at analyzing a women’s match, and that he is more qualified to call a men’s match than Navratilova is.

Navratilova slapped back a wicked passing shot this week.

“I don’t need to have a ball coming at me at 140 miles per hour constantly to know what it feels like,” she said. “Most men don’t know how to handle that, either. Men have been talking about women’s tennis for years. I don’t see what’s wrong with the reverse.”

Game, set, match.

There’s apparently no personal animosity here, just two strongwilled personalities clashing.