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    Fighting Strategies

    All-time tennis great opens up on her "personal 9 11" in a touching Houston lunch

    Clifford Pugh
    Oct 11, 2013 | 3:35 pm

    Tennis great Martina Navratilova says she's had a lot of highs and lows in her remarkable life, but she hit rock bottom when she was diagnosed with breast cancer three years ago. "It was my personal 9/11. My life will never be the same again. It just switched," she told an audience of nearly 1,000 that packed the Westin Galleria ballroom at the 12th Annual Nancy Owens Memorial Foundation Luncheon.

    Believing herself to be in great health, the nine-time Wimbledon champion had put off having a mammogram for four years. "When you get a notice in the mail that your pet needs to get a rabies shots, you make that appointment right away. But when the mammogram notice comes, you put it off," she said, urging women to take care of themselves first.

    "When you get a notice in the mail that your pet needs to get a rabies shots, you make that appointment right away. But when the mammogram notice comes, you put it off."

    Navratilova underwent a lumpectomy and radiation for the stage 3 cancer and today is in excellent health, with some valuable lessons learned from the experience. "What is important is how we react to what happens, how we use those resources to be good at our worst," she said.

    Speaking without notes, Navratilova detailed five strategies that have worked for her, whether it's fighting cancer or aiming to win a U.S. Open title (mixed doubles) one month short of her 50th birthday (which she did in 2006):

    1. Surround yourself with positive people. "If you have five friends helping you get through this, studies show you have a much better chance for recovery," she said.

    2. Stop labeling experiences as negative. "Whether it's a flat tire or a missed tennis shot, we need to stop looking upon things like this as good or bad. I treat them as challenges. Without those challenges, we don't have opportunities to grow. That's how we improve," she said. "You have to treat life as a game. If you're not challenged, it's not that much fun."

    3. Try to keep your priorities straight. Align your priorities with your goals. Sit down, think about exactly what it is you want and divide your goals into manageable pieces.

    4. Live your values. Don't let others set your limitations. "For me (in tennis) it was coming to the net. If I had stayed at the baseline, you would have probably never heard of me. People who succeed take chances. They don't listen to negative comments along the way."

    5. Turn your focus outward. "I think it's the opposite of what they're teaching today to go inside and find yourself. We're so busy looking inward we don't recognize when others need help. You can really help find yourself by looking outside yourself."

    Navratilova also spoke movingly about her decision to defect from her native Czechoslovakia and become a U.S. citizen, her decision to come out as a lesbian, her role models (Australian tennis great Rod Laver is tops) and her longtime friendship with onetime rival Chris Evert.

    Among those in the crowd were Channel 13 anchor Ilona Carson, who emceed the luncheon, Amy Bernstein, Mike Huff, Jennifer Hernandez, Martha Turner, Roseann Rogers, Cheri Fama, Beth Wolff, Bob Hale, Mark Cady, Robin Mueck, Maxine Myers, Mariella Massa, Ken Jacobson, Mike Brubaker, Jim Lemming, Hannah Storen and Raghda Henthorne, who received the Spirit of Courage Award.

    Proceeds from the luncheon, which raised $100,000, benefit the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center and the Department of Nanomedicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute.

    The luncheon honored Nancy Owen, a beloved Houston real estate agent who lost her 20-year battle with breast cancer in 2001. Luncheon underwriters in the real estate community included Prudential Anderson Properties, John Daugherty Realtors, Bernstein Realty, Martha Turner Properties, Greenwood King, Heritage Texas Properties and Keller Williams, along with The Houston Association of Realtors.

    Jennifer Hernandez

    Jennifer Hernandez at the Nancy Owens luncheon October 2013
      
    Photo courtesy of TK Images Photography
    Jennifer Hernandez
    unspecified
    news/society

    ACES ONLY

    A-list Houston crowd enjoys posh amenities at River Oaks tennis tournament

    Gabi De la Rosa
    Apr 3, 2025 | 4:29 pm
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    Spring in Houston means a jam-packed calendar, and people positively buzzing with excitement about so many highly anticipated events, beginning with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, the dazzling gala season, and now the River Oaks Men's Clay Court Championship. This time of year brings out the best of Houston's social scene including delicious food, fabulous fashion, and exclusive, invite-only events.

    Since 2001, River Oaks Country Club has been the place to see and be seen at the only remaining Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) tour played on clay courts. With a tournament theme of "Tennis in Full Bloom," this year's prize purse is nearly $750,000, and the top seed is Tommy Paul.

    Although world-class tennis may be the main attraction for many spectators who flock to one of Houston's most affluent zip codes, for others, the posh social scene and lavish events surrounding the tournament steal the spotlight.

    Jocelyn Mathews, Sheila Strickland, and Vatti Richardson. Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

    Upscale boutique Tootsies hosts an annual two-day fashion extravaganza with back-to-back fashion shows during the tournament. This year's theme, Serves & Spurs, brought a blend of guests wearing traditional floral frocks combined with cowboy boots and hats. The fashion headliner, American designer Adam Lippes, sent several of his best understated and luxurious looks down the runway.

    "The fashion show was fantastic. There was a Western twist in places you wouldn't expect. We got a taste of polka dots and plumes, feathers and fuchsia silk, chapeaus and cowboy boots set in a country theme that was present but not pushy. We saw it all," says fashion show attendee Allison Parsley.

    With wine and champagne flowing, fashion show attendees are always treated to a delicious menu. Day one of this year's event brought Texas prime beef tenderloin salad and dewberry crumble for dessert. Galleria-area restaurant The Annie was onsite with its famed caviar pop-up cart, adding to the lavish ambiance.

    "It's always a privilege to be part of the U.S. Men's Clay Tennis Tournament in Houston," The Annie owner Benjamin Berg tells CultureMap. "This event is a fantastic experience in the city, and Berg Hospitality Group is proud to offer a taste of our concepts by bringing them to the event with fun pop-ups throughout the week."

    The exclusive Lexus Lounge is one of the most sought-after places to socialize. Reserved for a select few, including event sponsors and River Oaks Country Club members, the elite retreat features private indoor and outdoor seating with prime views of the matches. Guests can enjoy complimentary dining, which includes a salad bar, savory station, candy and snack bar, and gelato station. In addition to two open bars, the second-story hot spot includes an espresso martini cart by Maven Coffee + Cocktails.

    Even without the coveted red bracelet that garners entrance into the Lexus Lounge, guests can enjoy delicious food and drinks throughout the tournament grounds. Goode Company has a significant presence, and bars serve alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages at every turn.

    In addition to watching great tennis and socializing, guests at the River Oaks Men's Clay Court Championship can indulge in high-end shopping. Tenenbaum Jewelry and Tootsies anchor the largest retail locations selling jewelry, luxury handbags, and clothing. Additional pop-up boutiques feature exclusive tournament merchandise and ready-to-wear looks from Adam Lippes.

    River Oaks Men's Clay Court Championship runs through Sunday, April 6. Tickets are availablehere.

      

    Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

    Holly Hagerman, Audrey White, and Camille Connlley at the River Oaks Men's Clay Court Championship.

    river oakstootsies fashion showtootsies fashion show at river oaks country clubadam lippesberg hospitalityriver oaks men's clay court championship
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