Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova (Czech: Martina Navrátilová, née Šubertová) was a Czech-American former professional tennis player. She was ranked world No. 1 in women's singles for many weeks and also in women's doubles.

Navratilova won many titles in her career, including some of the biggest tournaments. She reached the final of a famous tournament 12 times.

Originally from Czechoslovakia, Navratilova asked the United States for protection when she was young and later became a US citizen. She has supported equal rights for everyone.

Early life and background

Martina Navratilova was born Martina Šubertová in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Her parents divorced when she was three, and her family moved to Řevnice. In 1962, her mother married Miroslav Navrátil, who became her first tennis coach. Martina then took his name, adding the feminine suffix -ová, and became Martina Navrátilová.

She started playing tennis when she was four, hitting a ball against a wall. She began playing regularly at age seven. By 15, she won the Czechoslovakia national tennis championship. She joined the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour at 16 but didn’t become a professional until she was 19. She played well on many surfaces, especially clay, and reached the final of the French Open six times. In 1973, she made it to the quarterfinals but lost to Evonne Goolagong. The next year, she also reached the quarterfinals and lost to Helga Masthoff.

Professional tennis career

Martina Navratilova started her professional tennis career in 1974 when she was 17 years old. She won her first singles title in Orlando, Florida, and soon moved to the United States to play in big tournaments. In 1975, she came in second place in two large tournaments and chose to stay in the U.S. forever.

Navratilova won her first major singles title at Wimbledon in 1978, beating Chris Evert in the final. That same year, she became world No. 1, a spot she reached many times during her career. She won lots of titles, including nine at Wimbledon, and was known for her strong play and long career.

She was very famous for her rivalry with Chris Evert, playing against her in many important matches. Later, she also played against Steffi Graf, another great player. Navratilova kept playing into her 40s, focusing more on doubles matches later on. She won many doubles titles and became the oldest major champion in tennis history. She stopped full-time competition in 1994 but still played sometimes in doubles events.

Playing style and coaches

Martina Navratilova played tennis with an aggressive style. She served quickly and moved fast to the net. She worked with coach Renée Richards to improve her tactics.

She had many coaches. They included Miroslav Navrátil, George Parma, Věra Suková, Renée Richards, Mike Estep, and Craig Kardon. A rival once said she changed tennis with her athleticism and training. She did activities like basketball to stay in shape.

Coaching career

In December 2014, Navratilova began helping coach Agnieszka Radwańska. However, by April 2015, after Radwańska had a difficult start to the season, they decided to part ways.

Personal life

Martina Navratilova wrote several books. In 1985, she wrote an autobiography called Martina in the U.S. and Being Myself in other places, working with sports columnist George Vecsey. She also wrote a tennis book in 1982 with Mary Carillo, called Tennis My Way. She wrote three mystery books with Liz Nickles: The Total Zone (1994), Breaking Point (1996), and Killer Instinct (1997). Her last book, Shape Your Self, about health and fitness, came out in 2006. There is an ESPN documentary about her rivalry with Chris Evert called Unmatched.

Navratilova shared her life with several partners. In 2014, she married her long-time girlfriend Julia Lemigova in New York. She faced some health challenges. In 2010, she needed treatment for a condition in her breast. She also had a health issue while climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. In 2023, she learned she had a health concern in her throat and another in her breast, but after treatment, she said she was well again.

Activism and opinions

Martina Navratilova helps many charities. She works for animals, children in need, and the LGBTQ+ community. She works with AARP to help people live healthy lives. She chooses to be a vegetarian but sometimes eats fish for protein.

Navratilova speaks up for equal rights and against unfair political systems. She supports women’s rights and talks about many social issues, like fairness in sports. She believes it is important to speak up for what is right and to value personal freedom and the right to share ideas.

Career statistics

Martina Navratilova played in 32 Grand Slam singles finals and won 18 of them. One of her biggest achievements was winning the 1983 US Open. This win completed her career Grand Slam, meaning she won all four major tennis tournaments in her career.

Performance timelines

(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

Doubles

Mixed doubles

Records

These are records from the Open Era of tennis. Records in bold show achievements that no one else has matched.

Awards

Martina Navratilova won many important awards for her tennis success. She was named AP Female Athlete of the Year in 1983 and 1984. She also earned the ITF World Champion title from 1979 to 1986 and was named WTA Player of the Year from 1978 to 1986. Her other honors include the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003, the Czech Sport Legend Award in 2006, and being listed among BBC's 100 women in 2013.

Recognition

Martina Navratilova is seen as one of the best female tennis players ever. In 2005, a tennis magazine named her the top female player from 1965 to 2005, just ahead of Steffi Graf. Other top players and experts have praised her skills.

Navratilova has received many awards for her work in tennis and beyond. She was honored with a special award from the International Tennis Federation in 2009 and was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis" by Time magazine in 2011. She was also recognized for her contributions to equality and was made an honorary fellow of Lucy Cavendish College at the University of Cambridge in 2016.

Media

In 1983, Martina Navratilova and Vijay Amritraj appeared in the Hart to Hart episode "Love Game" as themselves. She played a key role in a tennis match. In 2000, she was a special guest on Will & Grace.

Navratilova was in many other shows and events. In 2008, she was a contestant on the UK’s I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!. In 2012, she joined Dancing with the Stars. She later had a role in the Netflix series The Politician as a horse trainer.

A documentary about her life will come out in 2025. In 2026, she will appear on a Spanish television show called Mask Singer: Adivina quién canta, hiding under a mask.