Kolkata: Eighteen-time Grand Slam winner and former World No.1 Martina Navratilova on Wednesday said she regretted having had to leave her country to pursue her dream of playing tennis -- a game she still loves.

Navratilova was born in then Czechoslovakia, and later moved to the United States to play tennis at around 18 years of age. She went on to become one of the most successful tennis players ever.