Martina Navratilova disapproved of Angel Reese’s gesture of supporting her teammate Chennedy Carter, who suddenly pushed Caitlin Clark during a WNBA game. It all happened during a match between Indiana Fever and Chicago Sky.
In a thrilling WNBA game, Indiana Fever defeated Chicago Sky by a narrow margin of 71-70. But Caitlin Clark and Chennedy Carter’s incident was the high point of the game. Carter deliberately hit Clark, causing her to fall to the court. As a result, Chennedy was given a foul by the referee.
Moreover, in a video shared on X, Angel Reese was seen applauding Carter, giving the impression that she approved of her behavior.
The footage later caught the attention of tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who condemned the foul play. Reacting to the video, she said that the incident was “not okay”.
“This is not ok…” She wrote.
When a fan agreed with her comments in a thread, she further elaborated on her stance, calling it a “cheap shot”.
“I mean what a cheap shot. They just don’t get it… of course it’s a foul…” She added.
Additionally, a fan disapproved of Reese’s gesture toward Clark, and Navratilova concurred. She suggested that Clark’s influence in the league will positively impact everyone, in the present and the future as well.
“The players in the WNBA need to realize that Caitlyn Clark is helping all of them, now and in the long run. Caitlyn is the tide that will raise all boats!”
Moreover, tennis legend Patrick McEnroe also chimed in to comment on the incident, calling it an “absolute outrage.”
“It is an absolute outrage what’s happening to Caitlin Clark in the @WNBA” McEnroe wrote.
Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been playing together since their college basketball days. They started playing against each other in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and extended their rivalry to the National Championships.
Both players turned professional in the 2024 WNBA draft, with Clark joining the Indiana Fever and Reese being selected seventh by the Chicago Sky.
Martina Navratilova previously supported WNBA star Angel Reese on social media
Earlier in April, Martina Navratilova had backed Angel Reese when the latter indirectly spoke out about the increasing participation of trans athletes in women’s sports and raised her voice to protect younger women. Reese expressed her views on X, writing:
“protect young women in sports!!!”
The post further caught the attention of Navratilova, who backed the WNBA starlet and wrote:
“Right on Angel!!!”
Martina Navratilova is known for being vocal about her views on social media, and also consistently raises her voice for women’s rights in sports. Recently, she criticized a bar for celebrating a trans athlete’s win at a women’s track championship. The bar, called “The Sports Bra”, is backed by Serena Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian.
