Navratilova Visits W. Tennis Team

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Eighteen-time singles Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova spent Tuesday at the University of Miami’s Neil Schiff Tennis Center, filming segments of the Tennis Channel’s ‘Tennis Academy’ with members of the Miami women’s tennis team.

In the first few hours of the session, Miami’s Melissa Bolivar, Kelsey Laurente, Clementina Riobueno, and Stephanie Wagner asked Navratilova various tennis-related questions, including pointers on net play and other in-game tactics.

In the afternoon session, Navratilova, a Czech American, responded to some of the players’ questions and even provided some on-court demonstration.

Navratilova finished her professional career with 18 Grand Slam singles titles, a record 31 doubles titles and 10 major mixed doubles titles. Reaching the Wimbledon final 12 times in her career, she won the event a record nine times.

Navratilova will be back on campus Wednesday for a hitting session with the women’s tennis team and more instructional work for the Tennis Academy.

TV air dates for the Miami specific episodes of the show have not announced, but are likely to appear on the Tennis Network in 2014.