"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-17T07:45:38Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2023/01/11/muslim-women-in-sport-spt-intl-lon-orig.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="muslim women in sport spt intl lon orig"
data-first-publish-slug="muslim women in sport spt intl lon orig"
data-video-tags="demographic groups,ibtihaj muhammad,muslim people,ons jabeur,population and demographics,society,sports figures"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Muslim women in sport and their hopes for the next generation
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2023-01-02T18:16:32Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2023/01/02/martina-navratilova-throat-breast-cancer-riddell-oneworld-contd-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="martina navratilova throat breast cancer riddell oneworld contd vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="martina navratilova throat breast cancer riddell oneworld contd vpx"
data-video-tags="brand safety-nsf health issues,brand safety-nsf sensitive,breast cancer,cancer,diseases and disorders,domestic alerts,domestic-health and science,head and neck cancer,health and medical,iab-cancer,iab-diseases and conditions,iab-medical health,iab-sports,iab-tennis,international alerts,international-health and science,martina navratilova,medical fields and specialties,oncology,sports and recreation,sports figures,tennis"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Martina Navratilova issues statement on cancer diagnoses: 'It's going to stink for a while, but I'll fight'
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-10-06T13:28:11Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2022/10/05/martina-navratilova-serena-williams-tennis-spt-intl.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="martina navratilova serena williams tennis spt intl"
data-first-publish-slug="martina navratilova serena williams tennis spt intl"
data-video-tags="breast cancer,cancer,chris evert,diseases and disorders,employment and income status,health and medical,labor and employment,martina navratilova,retirement and retirees,roger federer,serena williams,social and economic status,society,sports and recreation,sports figures,tennis,workers and professionals"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
Martina Navratilova on cancer and the future of tennis
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-09-12T09:18:56Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2022/09/12/carlos-alcaraz-intv-us-open-hnk-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="carlos alcaraz intv us open hnk vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="carlos alcaraz intv us open hnk vpx"
data-video-tags="grand slam tournaments,men's professional tennis,professional tennis,sports and recreation,sports events,tennis,tennis events,us open (tennis),continents and regions,europe,southern europe,spain"
data-details="">
"
data-check-event-based-preview=""
data-is-vertical-video-embed="false"
data-network-id=""
data-publish-date="2022-08-10T03:41:35Z"
data-video-section="sport"
data-canonical-url="https://www.cnn.com/videos/sports/2022/08/10/serena-williams-career-highlights-macfarlane-vpx.cnn"
data-branding-key=""
data-video-slug="serena williams career highlights macfarlane vpx"
data-first-publish-slug="serena williams career highlights macfarlane vpx"
data-video-tags="christina macfarlane,demographic groups,families and children,family members and relatives,grand slam tournaments,misc people,population and demographics,professional tennis,serena williams,society,sports and recreation,sports events,sports figures,teenagers,tennis,tennis events,us open (tennis)"
data-details="">
Video Ad Feedback
See how Serena Williams became one of the all-time greats
McEnroe said Williams would be 700 in the world on men's circuit
CNN
—
Serena Williams has responded to John McEnroe’s claims that she would struggle on the men’s tennis circuit by telling her fellow American to “keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.”
Seven-time grand slam winner McEnroe reopened an age-old debate by telling US radio network NPR that Williams would “be like 700 in the world” if she played on the men’s Tour.
Williams, winner of 23 grand slam singles titles and the only woman in Forbes’ list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes in 2017, announced in April she was expecting her first child.
Reacting to McEnroe’s comments, the 35-year-old tweeted: “Dear John, I adore and respect you but please please keep me out of your statements that are not factually based.
“I’ve never played anyone ranked ‘there’ nor do I have time. Respect me and my privacy as I’m trying to have a baby. Good day sir.”
Former world No.1 John McEnroe won Wimbledon three times
Joel Ford/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
McEnroe, 58, emphasized that Williams was “an incredible player” and the “best female player ever – no question.”
Neither did he rule out that a female player would one day be able to outshine the world’s best male players, saying: “Maybe at some point a women’s tennis player can be better than anybody.
“I just haven’t seen it in any other sport, and I haven’t seen it in tennis. I suppose anything’s possible at some stage.”
Ranked 700 in the world on the men’s Tour is Issam Haitham Taweel of Egypt, a 27-year-old with no career titles, while Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov is a place below him in the rankings.
Tursunov, 34, told the BBC that he hoped that he would beat Williams were they to ever play each other.
“It would be a similar argument to: who would run faster, the fastest woman or the fastest man? Tennis is becoming more and more a physical sport, so it’s going to be hard for a woman to beat the men,” said the former world No. 20, who has won seven career titles.
“It’s not black and white, there are lots of factors to take into account. Physically I might not be in the best shape of my life, but as an overall package I’m much better than my ranking would suggest. She is pregnant, and I’m not.
“I’ve never heard John say anything absolutely stupid – he knows his stuff. What he said about her being an incredible player is correct – explosive, powerful and she puts in a lot of work. But I would hope that I would win.”
