ARLINGTON, Va. – The sport of tennis requires tremendous mental fortitude and confidence.
 
Apart from doubles play, athletes must traverse the ups and downs of a match on their own, using their independent thoughts and decisions to make the difference between a win and a loss.
 
With so much individual skill involved, it can be beneficial to hear from others regarding thoughts and strategies which have led to success.
 
For the typical college student-athlete, these tips of advice often come from coaches, mentors and teammates.
 
So when the opportunity came to receive these pointers from a 58-time Grand Slam Champion, Mason men's and women's tennis student-athletes jumped at the chance.
 
Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova visited with Mason economist Tyler Cowen on Monday as part of his interview series hosted by the Mercato Center on Mason's Arlington Campus.
 
 As part of the visit, Navratilova met privately with student-athletes from Mason's men's and women's tennis teams in a once-in-a-lifetime Q&A session.
 
Questions from the Patriots included what her toughest match of all time was, how she continued to perform at an elite level into her 50s, as well as how she made the journey from her native Czech Republic to America.
 
Navratilova excelled in both singles and doubles, winning both the singles and doubles flights of tournaments more than 80 times. As such, Mason athletes also asked what made Navratilova so consistent.
 
"It was truly an honor to meet with and listen to a tennis legend," sophomore Edward Ayers said. "Hearing her story was fascinating and humbling."
 
Ayers was particularly moved by Navratilova's life story and how she went from a young girl with no formal training into one of the greatest professionals of all time.
 
"Beginning with little more than an intense love for the sport, Martina had a career that was not only filled with records and achievements, but one that also revolutionized tennis, eliminated stereotypes and broke down barriers. A hard-working and passionate go-getter for what she wanted to achieve both on and off the court, Martina is an inspiration to so many athletes today, including myself."
 
Freshman Christine McCarthy also benefited greatly from the session. She was particularly inspired by Navratilova's story regarding her upbringing in her native Czech Republic, she could only practice once a week due to difficulties just finding a court on which to play.
 
"She really demonstrated how one can be so motivated, genuinely appreciative and enjoy the sport," McCarthy said. "It was such a great experience to be able to meet her and receive advice from a world class tennis player in person."
 
After the Q&A session was complete, Navratilova shared a few tips on nutrition and training. Mason's student-athletes then gathered in a special row of seats to listen to the event with Tyler Cowen.
 
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