Tennis legend Martina Navratilova has taken aim at Republican primary candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's tennis skills, with the swipe dividing social media users.
Posting to X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, the 66-year-old former tennis pro called the entrepreneur's forehand "ugly." Navratilova was responding to a clip of the 38-year-old playing the sport shirtless, which has received over 7 million views on his own account.
"I especially like the small stutter steps that take Vivek nowhere.:)," the tennis champion wrote. "I wonder if that could be an analogy for his politics."
Navratilova's comment split opinion on the platform, with the post receiving 329,000 views. Some users applauded her criticism of Ramaswamy, with @evamacalpi writing: "Just hit the ball macho man."
"Is he swatting flies? Maybe wasps? Such an angry swatter," said Jack Be Nimble.
"What in the heck is that footwork. Is he trying to box at the same time?" asked Jessica.
"I personally object to his black socks," said John the Gnerphk.
"Same energy," commented Mamá de dos Perros, alongside a photo of Putin riding a horse shirtless.
Three hours of solid debate prep this morning. ðºð¸ pic.twitter.com/luY1k3m0wN
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) August 21, 2023
"How many tennis matches have you been to where a player does all their playing inside a 4 foot wide circle never mind the lack of a shirt," said truecourse.
However, others slammed Navratilova's response, with @stcampbell01 writing: "Who cares?"
"The fact that he can get out there and hit the ball as well as he does is a good thing," he said. "Pretty easy for a professional tennis player to find fault in an amateur's game."
"I sense a little jealousy Martina!! Do better," commented Reason-B.
"Joke about Vivek at your own risk," said Lew Harris.
"I dislike the guys politics and attitude, but you are being a hater," wrote Logi. "He's playing a sport that you also enjoy, just seems poor taste to put someone down for no reason."
Thatâs one ugly forehand. I especially like the small stutter steps that take Vivek nowhere.:),
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) August 22, 2023
I wonder if that could be an analogy for his politics ð¤·ð¼ââï¸ð¤·ð¼ââï¸ð¤·ð¼ââï¸ð¤¡ https://t.co/J9I1lK9ywA
This isn't the first time Navratilova has criticized Republicans. In 2020, the sports star condemned the way Trump's White House handled the coronavirus pandemic, comparing it to being "back in a communist country."
Born in Prague, in what was formerly Czechoslovakia, Navratilova has previously shared her experience of growing up behind the Iron Curtain. At 18, she was granted political asylum to the U.S., after defecting from her birth country.
Ramaswamy is one of several candidates in the race for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. According to Politico, the former pharmaceutical company CEO is unlikely to win, with the FiveThirtyEight website placing him at 8.9 percent in the polls.
Newsweek has reached out to Martina Navratilova and Ramaswamy for comment.