She was also a Tennis Channel commentator during the men’s final at the French Open in early June when opponents of France’s same-sex marriage law interrupted the match between Spanish tennis players Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer. Navratilova said the shirtless protester who ran onto the court with a flare in his hand near Nadal reminded her of the man who stabbed Monica Seles during a German tennis match in 1993.
You’re like holy shit, you’re still not safe on the tennis court, she said. On top of that, it’s these asshole protesters who have nothing better to do but complain about gay people having the same rights as they do.
Navratilova also recalled seeing some of the more than 100,000 people who marched against France’s same-sex marriage law in Paris on May 26 — three days before the first gay couple legally tied the knot in the country. Opponents of nuptials for same-sex couples also gathered along portions of the Tour de France route last month to protest the statute.
I couldn’t believe the masses of people who were out protesting against something that doesn’t affect them in any way, Navratilova said, referring to the May 26 march in the French capital. To really see real people that are so emotionally invested in denying you equality is really disconcerting.
” Martina Navratilova: Coming ‘full circle’, The Washington Blade.