From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Martina Navratilova made an impact.
Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former professional tennis player, is considered one of the greatest of all time. She held the world No. 1 ranking in singles for 332 weeks and in doubles for a record 237 weeks. Navratilova amassed an Open Era record of 59 major titles: 18 in singles, 31 in women's doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles, along with 167 top-level singles titles and 177 doubles titles. Her nine Wimbledon singles titles remain an all-time record. She, alongside Chris Evert, dominated women's tennis during the 1980s.
In 1983, Martina Navratilova had the best winning percentage ever for a post-1968 professional tennis player.
In 1972, at the age of 15, Martina Navratilova won the Czechoslovakia national tennis championship.
In 1973, at the age of 16, Martina Navratilova made her debut on the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour.
In 1974, Martina Navratilova won her first major title. It was 32 years before she won her last one in 2006.
In 1974, Martina Navratilova won her first professional singles title in Orlando, Florida, at the age of 17.
In 1975, Martina Navratilova was the runner-up at the Australian Open and the French Open. After losing to Chris Evert in the US Open semifinals in September 1975, she defected from communist Czechoslovakia. Also, in 1975, Navratilova teamed with world number one Evert to win the French Open women's doubles title.
Martina Navratilova turned professional in 1975.
In 1976, Martina Navratilova teamed with Chris Evert to win the Wimbledon women's doubles title over Billie Jean King and Bette Stove.
From 1977 to 1993, Martina Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
In 1978, Martina Navratilova won her first major singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Chris Evert in three sets in the final and capturing the world No. 1 ranking.
In January 1979, Chris Evert took back the World No. 1 ranking from Martina Navratilova.
In 1979, Martina Navratilova successfully defended her Wimbledon title, again beating Chris Evert in the final, and earned the World No. 1 ranking at the end of the year for the first time.
In 1980, Martina Navratilova defeated previous six-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King in a two-day epic in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon, with a scoreline of 7–6, 1–6, 10–8.
In April 1981, Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova in the finals of the Women's Tennis Association championships, held on clay at Amelia Island, 6–0, 6–0.
In 1981, Martina Navratilova won her third major singles title by defeating Chris Evert in the final of the Australian Open.
In 1981, Renée Richards became one of Martina Navratilova's coaches. Richards coached Navratilova from 1981 to 1983.
From 1982 through 1990, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final nine consecutive times.
From 1982, Martina Navratilova began a period of dominance in women's tennis. From 1982, 1983, and 1984, Navratilova lost a total of only six singles matches.
In 1982, Martina Navratilova won both Wimbledon and the French Open.
In 1982, Martina Navratilova won both Wimbledon and the French Open.
By winning the 1983 US Open title, Martina Navratilova completed the career Grand Slam, becoming only the seventh woman in history to achieve it.
From 1983, Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver achieved a record 109-match winning streak in doubles between 1983 and 1985.
In 1983, Martina Navratilova had a dominant professional season, achieving a winning percentage of 98.9% with a record of 86-1. Also, in 1983, she simultaneously won the Grand Slam in doubles.
In 1983, after losing in the fourth round of the French Open, Martina Navratilova captured the year's three remaining major titles. Her only singles defeat during that year, establishing an 86–1 record.
In 1983, both Renée Richards and Mike Estep coached Martina Navratilova. Richards coached Navratilova from 1981 to 1983, while Estep coached from 1983 to 1986.
From 1984, Martina Navratilova continued a period of dominance in women's tennis. From 1982, 1983, and 1984, Navratilova lost a total of only six singles matches.
In 1984, Martina Navratilova avenged her double bagel loss by crushing Chris Evert 6-2, 6-0 in the finals of the Amelia Island event.
In 1984, Martina Navratilova completed a calendar grand slam in women's doubles, partnering with Pam Shriver.
In 1984, Martina Navratilova won a record six consecutive singles majors. Also, in 1984, she simultaneously won the Grand Slam in doubles.
In 1984, Martina Navratilova won the French Open, holding all four major singles titles simultaneously and being declared a "Grand Slam" winner. Also in 1984 she became the first player to win majors on clay, grass and hard court on the same year. In the semifinals of the 1984 Australian Open, Helena Suková ended Navratilova's 74-match winning streak.
From 1985, Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver achieved a record 109-match winning streak in doubles between 1983 and 1985.
In 1985, Martina Navratilova played in what many consider to be perhaps the best woman's match of all time, the French Open final against Chris Evert, where Evert defeated Navratilova 6–3, 6–7, 7–5.
In 1986 at the US Open, Martina Navratilova prevailed over Steffi Graf in the semifinals and won the final over Helena Suková. Navratilova and Pam Shriver also won the women's doubles title. With an 89–3 record, Martina earned the number-one ranking for the fifth consecutive year.
In 1986, Mike Estep was one of Martina Navratilova's coaches. Estep coached her from 1983 to 1986.
Martina Navratilova's reign from 1982 to 1986 is the most dominant unbroken spell in the professional era.
From 1985 through 1987, Martina Navratilova reached the women's singles final at all 11 major tournaments held during those three years, winning six of them.
In 1987, Martina Navratilova defeated Steffi Graf in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open. She reached all four Grand Slam finals in 1987, winning two of them.
In 1988, Craig Kardon became one of Martina Navratilova's coaches. Kardon coached her from 1988 to 1994.
In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four major singles titles, including beating Martina Navratilova in the Wimbledon final. Navratilova did not reach the finals of any of the other Grand Slam events but did win nine tournaments.
In 1989, Martina Navratilova faced Steffi Graf in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open, losing both matches in three sets. Graf also won their match in the WTA Tour Championships finals. Despite not playing in the French Open, Navratilova won eight titles and was ranked No. 2 behind Graf for the third consecutive year.
From 1982 through 1990, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final nine consecutive times.
In 1990, Martina Navratilova won her final Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Zina Garrison 6–4, 6–1 to secure her record-breaking ninth Wimbledon singles crown. She also won four other tournaments in 1990 and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the world.
In 1991, Martina Navratilova lost in the US Open final to Monica Seles.
In 1991, at the age of 34, Martina Navratilova defeated Steffi Graf in the semifinals of the US Open with a score of 7–6, 6–7, 6–4. This victory ended their Grand Slam rivalry with Navratilova leading 5–4.
In September 1992, Martina Navratilova, aged 35, participated in the third Battle of the Sexes tennis match against 40-year-old Jimmy Connors at Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada. Connors, with adjusted rules, won the match 7–5, 6–2.
In 1992, Martina Navratilova participated in a lawsuit against Amendment 2, a ballot proposition in Colorado designed to prevent sexual orientation from being a protected class.
From 1977 to 1993, Martina Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
In 1993, Martina Navratilova spoke before the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.
In 1994, Craig Kardon was one of Martina Navratilova's coaches. Kardon coached her from 1988 to 1994.
In 1994, at age 37, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Conchita Martínez. In November 1994, after losing in the first round of the WTA Tour Championships, she retired from full-time singles competition.
In 2000, Martina Navratilova returned to the tour, primarily playing doubles events with occasional singles appearances.
In 2000, Martina Navratilova was the recipient of the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign.
In 2002, Martina Navratilova played her first singles match in eight years at Eastbourne, defeating world No. 22 Tatiana Panova before losing to Daniela Hantuchová in the next round.
In 2003, Martina Navratilova, partnering with Leander Paes, won the mixed doubles titles at the Australian Open and Wimbledon. At 46 years and 8 months, she became the oldest major champion. The Australian Open victory completed her "boxed set" of major titles.
In 2004, Martina Navratilova returned to singles at the French Open after a 10-year absence, losing in the first round. At Wimbledon in 2004, she won a singles match, becoming the oldest player to win a professional singles match in the open era, but lost in the second round.
On July 6, 2006, Martina Navratilova played her last matches at Wimbledon. She and partner Liezel Huber lost a quarterfinal match in women's doubles. Later that day, she and partner Mark Knowles lost in the third round of mixed doubles.
On August 21, 2006, Martina Navratilova secured her last title in women's doubles at the Tier I Rogers Cup in Montreal, Quebec, partnering with Nadia Petrova.
In 2006, Martina Navratilova won her last major title, the mixed doubles crown at the US Open, shortly before her 50th birthday.
In 2009, Martina Navratilova played for the Boston Lobsters in the World TeamTennis pro league, marking the end of her tenure with the team.
In 2009, Martina Navratilova was awarded the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for her contributions to tennis on and off the court.
In December 2014, Martina Navratilova joined Agnieszka Radwańska's coaching staff.
In April 2015, Martina Navratilova and Agnieszka Radwańska decided to part ways after Radwańska faced struggles in the first half of the season.
In 2021, Martina Navratilova became a leader of the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, which was formed in response to US President Joe Biden's Executive Order 13988, to protect women in sports while accommodating trans athletes where possible.
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