"A bloody circus...Like a high school basketball game & I was visiting": When Martina Navratilova complained about lack of crowd support vs local teen

Martina Navratilova once expressed frustration with the overwhelming lack of crowd support she experienced while facing a local high school student, Eleni Rossides. Navratilova lamented how heavily the audience favored the young teen, who was beginning her professional journey.

At the time, Rossides was the junior World No. 1 and a 17-year-old high school senior at Sidwell Friends, competing in her first professional tournament at the 1985 Virginia Slims of Washington. After emerging victorious in two qualifying rounds, Rossides took on top seed Navratilova in her main draw debut.

Despite being the World No. 1 and 12-time Grand Slam singles champion, Martina Navratilova was only greeted with polite applause from the crowd at George Washington University. Eleni Rossides, meanwhile, walked out to thunderous cheers and a standing ovation as the passionate audience proudly displayed their support for the local favorite.

Although Navratilova was expected to steamroll Rossides, the then-17-year-old put up an admirable fight and even managed to break the Czech-American's serve before eventually suffering a 6-3, 6-2 loss.

Speaking to the press after her victory, Martina Navratilova commended Rossides on her court coverage and passing shot, but she also asserted that she had moved just as well at the age of 17.

"She has a good passing shot and she moves very well. She surprised me with that. Of course, she's 17. I moved well when I was 17, too," Navratilova said.

However, Navratilova was frustrated by the one-sided crowd. In a 1985 interview with the New York Times, she likened the atmosphere to competing in a rival team's stadium and described it as a "bloody circus."

"It was a bloody circus. I felt like I was playing in a high school basketball game and I was the visiting team. The girl had never won a professional tennis match in her life. I mean, come on," she said.

Eleni Rossides on facing Martina Navratilova in front of the home crowd: "Millions of people screaming, that was neat"

Martina Navratilova (Source: Getty)

Martina Navratilova's complaints about the crowd at the 1985 Virginia Slims of Washington were validated by Eleni Rossides who expressed her delight at the enthusiastic support she received.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Rossides disclosed that she was so nervous before the match that she nearly fainted. She also confessed that, despite breaking Navratilova's serve, the idea of winning never even crossed her mind.

"I almost fainted during warmups," Rossides said. "Millions of people screaming. That was really neat."

"It really didn't enter my mind. I'm glad it's over," she added.

Interestingly, Martina Navratilova had a personal connection to Eleni Rossides since she had hired the young tennis star's father, Gene Rossides, as her lawyer during her naturalization process to become a US citizen in 1981.