At 47, Martina Navratilova will be double the age of most of the players she will face in the Fed Cup next week.
Bidding to inject a shot of energy into the women's team event, the grande dame of tennis does not think she will have any problems fitting in with her younger team mates.
"It's not just any 47-year-old, it's Martina," said Navratilova, who will become the oldest player to compete in the 40-year history of the Fed Cup.
With 18 Grand Slam singles trophies and 40 major doubles crowns, Navratilova seemed to have everything.
But there is one accolade missing from her overcrowded mantelpiece -- an Olympic gold medal.
To achieve that, the American has to play in the Fed Cup and Navratilova will be taking her first steps towards that Olympic goal when she joins forces with former doubles number one Lisa Raymond in the semi-finals of the team event against Belgium from Monday.
Navratilova can thank the absence of the five top American players for her chance to participate in the competition in Moscow, where the winner of the Belgium-U.S. tie will face either Russia or France in the final later in the week.
Serena and Venus Williams, Lindsay Davenport, Jennifer Capriati and Chanda Rubin all opted out because of injuries or conflicts with U.S. captain Billie Jean King.
TEAM LEADER
With her options dwindling, King did not hesitate to draft in Navratilova.
"They kept going down the line and they finally came to me," Navratilova joked.
"I'm looking forward to hooking up with Billie Jean again and listen to her ranting and raving."
King believes Navratilova will add leadership to a team that also includes Meghann Shaughnessy and Alexandra Stevenson.
"Martina with her experience, motivation and discipline will be so good for this team," King said.
"She's hopping around, raring to go...If I was there (as a player), I'd pick her brain. When I was young, I did that."
Having played doubles with Russian teenager Svetlana Kuznetsova for the majority of 2003, Navratilova ended that partnership after the WTA Championships this week. She will play with Raymond, who owns seven Grand Slam titles herself, next season.
"I want to play one more year because I want to enjoy the fruits of the labour now that I have started winning," Navratilova said.
Navratilova realises that teaming up with Raymond, who also has an attacking style of play, may give her the best opportunity to win Olympic gold in Athens next year.
"Playing with Lisa is easy because she plays the same way," Navratilova said.
"It's more difficult playing with someone who doesn't serve and volley. (With Raymond) it's like playing back with Pam Shriver again."
MATCH TOUGHNESS
Although Navratilova competed sporadically from 2000 until 2002, she played a full schedule this season and will do the same in 2004.
The Colorado resident believes match toughness is a necessary ingredient of her success.
"I know I am not the best doubles player but I am one of the best players. I know most how to play the game," she said.
Until this season, Navratilova had managed to win only one title -- the Madrid doubles with Natasha Zvereva in 2002 -- since her comeback three years ago.
But 2003 has been a different story. She claimed a tour-high seven women's doubles titles with three different partners and the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles crowns with Leander Paes.
"What surprised me (before) was the fact that I kept playing and I wasn't winning much," Navratilova said.
"People said: `She shouldn't be out there playing any more'. I really enjoyed myself but I knew I could play better. That's what motivated me.
"I know I can't play as well as I did 20 years ago but I could play better than I was.
"I wanted to reach my peak again. Now I am very close to being at my best."
(Additional reporting by Pritha Sarkar)
