Tennis latest; Martina Navratilova gives up climbing Mount Kilimanjaro due to illness
The 54-year-old former tennis ace, Martina Navratilova had to give up climbing Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro as a result of being unwell on Friday.
Martina, who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this season during the month of February, was leading a team of twenty seven climbers to raise money for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation. The foundation supports community sports projects all around
the world.
The former number one Czech American tennis player had to quit climbing Africa’s highest mountain on the day four when the expedition had reached an altitude of 4,500 meters.
The eight time Grand Slam singles winner who made her debut on the WTA tour back in 1975, was assisted down the mountain by porters and taken to the nearby Christian Medical Centre for check up.
One of the greatest tennis players in the world who was labelled by Billie Jean King as the best singles, double and mixed doubles contender the game has ever experienced, was in high spirits, however, felt disappointed to leave the mountain, the sports
charity said.
The left handed player who currently resides in Florida stated in her website, “I am very sorry not to be able to complete this amazing journey.”
She while commenting on the conditions there a day earlier posted, “The weather is a little better, but the going is getting tougher and tougher. It seems to be constantly steep and as we started to approach the highest point yet, 4,500 meters (14,765 feet)
above sea level, sheer exhaustion sets in for much of the group, and with heavy legs and chests pounding due to a lack of oxygen, every step becomes an effort.”
Navratilova, has never previously climbed higher than 12,000 feet in her entire life. The 1.73 meters tall, who announced her retirement from the WTA tour back in 2006, was climbing the mountain to raise awareness and money for the Laureus Sport for Good
Foundation.
The rest of the climbers, who started four days ago, are slated to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania on December 11th.
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