Anorexia at Wimbledon? (Daniela Hantuchova)

Mirror ^ | 6/24/03 | Darren Lewis

[7 x 77]

MARTINA NAVRATILOVA yesterday added her voice to those warning waif-like Daniela Hantuchova about her dramatic weight loss.

The nine-times Wimbledon champion labelled the 20-year-old's skinny figure "ridiculous" for a tennis player.

But she accepted the 6ft part-time model, who looks well under her official weight of 8st 11lb, was aware of her problem.

Navratilova, 46, said: "Daniela's size is not ridiculous for a model but is for a tennis player.

"She needs to be heavier and stronger if she wants to compete.

"If she was a model she'd look perfect but she's a professional tennis player.

"If you want to be a top model or a top tennis player that's fine, but you can't be both.

"You can have a career and a half but you can't have two. It depends if your priority is playing tennis.

"Daniela knows she's lost too much weight and has been trying to remedy the situation by eating more. Every time I see her she's eating, so she's trying."

Virginia Wade, Britain's 1977 Wimbledon champion, sparked the debate over Hantuchova after being shocked by the Slovakian's emaciated appearance when she played at Eastbourne and warning she was on the brink of an eating disorder.

The youngster is likely to come under even more scrutiny at Wimbledon next week.

But Navratilova offered hope to Hantuchova by telling how she won her own weight battle.

"At one point I was too thin," she said. "I was six per cent body fat which was really not healthy and my doctor told me to put on some weight. So I started eating. It took about three months before I got back to a healthy weight. It's not something that happens overnight.

"Daniela knows what she needs to do. I'm sure at the US Open she'll be a little heftier."

JENNIFER CAPRIATI crashed out of the semi-finals at Eastbourne yesterday despite twice having match point.

The American world No.8 lost to compatriot Chanda Rubin 2-6 7-6 6-2 in 1hr 45min.

[PoorMuttly]

Photography adds 15 lbs. to a person's appearance.

Underweight professional tennis could add a tombstone.

Let's hope not.

[Always Right]

"If she was a model she'd look perfect but she's a professional tennis player.

She is skinny even for a model.

[NativeNewYorker]

[Bikers4Bush]

She looks good to me!

[AppyPappy]

Geez, she ain't that skinny.

[camle]

I think they're all upset that they can't be that thin and play that well. mebbe MArtina's looking for a new squeeze

[7 x 77]

[freebilly]

8st 11lb

That's all? I could've swore she was 9st 03lb....

[freebilly]

Correction 6st 17lb....

[capt. norm]

I can only imagine how obese a person would have to be to think of her as "skinny".

I'll take all the "skinny" ones they have if they look like her.

[Lee'sGhost]

Somebody needs to post a recent picture Anna Kornacova to make sure this isn't affecting her in any way.

[7 x 77]

[TheEngineer]

Is that a Haagen Das advertisement in the background? :-)

[Lee'sGhost]

Man! That IS over the edge.

[LanPB01]

"She looks good to me!"

I'll second that! Where exactly is the problem?

[Lady Eileen]

Navratilova, 46, said:

"If she was a model she'd look perfect but she's a professional tennis player.

"If you want to be a top model or a top tennis player that's fine, but you can't be both.

"You can have a career and a half but you can't have two."

Navratilova is a busy body and also a (Rosie type)

[1Old Pro]

She looks good to me!

Me too, which is why Martina and "some" other tennis players are criticizing her.......men like to look at her because she looks like a women.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Is that the anorexic figure that Martina is having a cow over? She looks normal in that picture. More worrisome, however, is that the young lady's physique is being critiqued by a lesbian food nanny. Maybe she's just not butch enough for certain types. Ewww.

[ewing]