Martina Navratilova has leapt to the defence of Daniela Hantuchova following suggestions that she is in danger of becoming anorexic.

Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade, ambassador for the Hastings Direct Championships, voiced concerns that the disease may strike the 20-year-old Slovakian following her weight loss.

But Navratilova, a nine-times singles champion at the All England Club, believes the player she helped as part of the WTA Tour 'mentor' scheme will pull through.

Navatilova, 46, said: "Daniela has lost too much weight and she knows that. She's been trying to remedy the situation by eating more. Every time I see her she's eating so she's trying to put on weight. She knows she needs to be heavier and stronger if she wants to compete.

"If she's a model she looks perfect but she's a tennis player. It is a nice problem to have as it's easier to put it on than to take it off."

Navratilova had weight problems of her own as the first major women's tennis star to adopt a strict diet regime. She said: "At one point I was too thin. I had six per cent body fat, which was not healthy and my doctor told me to put on weight. It took about three months before I put it back on.

"Daniela knows what she needs to do and I'm sure at the US Open she'll be heftier."