History of Martina Navratilova in Timeline
Martina Navratilova is a Czech-American former professional tennis player, widely regarded as one of the sport's all-time greats. She held the world No. 1 ranking in singles for 332 weeks and in doubles for a record 237 weeks. Navratilova amassed 167 top-level singles titles and 177 doubles titles, including a record 59 major titles in the Open Era: 18 in singles, 31 in women's doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles. Notably, she holds the all-time record of nine Wimbledon singles titles. Her rivalry with Chris Evert defined women's tennis throughout much of the 1980s.
1948: Reference to the 1948 Coup d'état
In 2007, Martina Navratilova referenced the 1948 coup d'état in Czechoslovakia when criticizing the U.S. under President George W. Bush.
October 18, 1956: Martina Navratilova's Birth
On October 18, 1956, Martina Navratilova, née Šubertová, was born in Czechoslovakia. She became one of the most successful tennis players of all time, holding the world No. 1 ranking in women's singles for 332 weeks.
1962: Mother's Remarriage in 1962
In 1962, Martina Navratilova's mother, Jana, married Miroslav Navrátil, who became Martina's first tennis coach. Martina then took the name of her stepfather.
1965: Start of Tennis Magazine Ranking Period
In 2005, Tennis Magazine selected Navratilova as the greatest female tennis player for the period starting in 1965.
1968: Winning Percentage
In 1983, Martina Navratilova's winning percentage was the best ever for a post-1968 professional tennis player.
1972: Czechoslovakia National Tennis Championship Win
In 1972, at the age of 15, Martina Navratilova won the Czechoslovakia national tennis championship.
1973: Debut on the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour
In 1973, at the age of 16, Martina Navratilova debuted on the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour. She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open.
1974: First Professional Singles Title
In 1974, at the age of 17, Martina Navratilova won her first professional singles title in Orlando, Florida.
1974: First Major Title in 1974
Martina Navratilova won her first major title in 1974, 32 years before her last major title in 2006.
1975: Runner-Up at Major Tournaments and Defection
In 1975, Martina Navratilova was the runner-up at the Australian Open and the French Open. She defected from communist Czechoslovakia after the US Open.
1975: Asylum in the United States
In 1975, at the age of 18, Martina Navratilova asked the United States for political asylum from Czechoslovakia and was granted temporary residence.
1975: Turning Professional in 1975
Martina Navratilova did not turn professional on the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour until 1975.
1976: Wimbledon Women's Doubles Title
In 1976, Martina Navratilova teamed with Chris Evert to win the Wimbledon women's doubles title.
1977: Ranked in World's Top 3
From 1977 to 1993, Martina Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
1978: First Major Singles Title at Wimbledon in 1978
In 1978, Martina Navratilova won her first major singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Chris Evert in three sets. She also captured the world No. 1 ranking for the first time.
January 1979: Losing the No. 1 Ranking in January 1979
In January 1979, Chris Evert took back the world No. 1 ranking from Martina Navratilova.
1979: Defending Wimbledon Title in 1979
In 1979, Martina Navratilova successfully defended her Wimbledon title, again beating Chris Evert in the final. She earned the World No. 1 ranking at the end of the year.
1980: Defeating Billie Jean King at Wimbledon in 1980
In 1980, Martina Navratilova defeated six-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King in the quarterfinals.
April 1981: Double Bagel Loss
In April 1981, Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova in the finals of the Women's Tennis Association championships, 6–0, 6–0, resulting in Martina Navratilova's only professional double bagel loss.
July 30, 1981: Article Published
On July 30, 1981, the New York Daily News published an article where Martina Navratilova came out as bisexual, revealing her sexual relationship with Rita Mae Brown, despite her request to delay the publication.
1981: Becoming a US Citizen and Coming Out
In 1981, Martina Navratilova became a US citizen and also openly came out as gay.
1981: Coached by Renée Richards
In 1981, Renée Richards became one of Martina Navratilova's coaches, a relationship that lasted until 1983.
September 1982: Toxoplasmosis Attack and US Open Defeat
According to the New York Times, in September 1982, an acute attack of toxoplasmosis contributed to Martina Navratilova's defeat during the US Open tournament, where the No. 1 seed lost to No. 7 seed Pam Shriver in the quarterfinal round. By late October, Navratilova had recovered.
1982: Wimbledon Finals
From 1982 through 1990, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final nine consecutive times.
1982: Dominance from 1982-1986
From 1982 to 1986, Martina Navratilova had a dominant reign, losing a total of only six singles matches and securing 13 consecutive victories over Chris Evert.
1982: Publishes Tennis Instruction Book
In 1982, Martina Navratilova co-wrote a tennis instruction book with Mary Carillo titled "Tennis My Way".
1982: Meets Judy Nelson
In 1982, Martina Navratilova met Judy Nelson at a tournament in Fort Worth, starting a long-term relationship.
1982: Wimbledon and French Open Victories
In 1982, Martina Navratilova won both Wimbledon and the French Open.
1983: Doubles Winning Streak
From 1983 to 1985, Martina Navratilova had a 109-match winning streak in women's doubles, partnering with Pam Shriver
1983: Domination in 1983
In 1983, Martina Navratilova achieved an impressive 86–1 record, marking the best professional season winning percentage at 98.8%. She also began a winning streak of 74 straight matches.
1983: Appearance in Hart to Hart episode "Love Game"
In 1983, Martina Navratilova appeared as herself in the Hart to Hart episode "Love Game", partnering with Jonathan Hart in a mixed doubles match at a charity tennis event.
1983: AP Female Athlete of the Year
In 1983, Martina Navratilova was named the Associated Press (AP) Female Athlete of the Year.
1983: US Open Title and Career Grand Slam
In 1983, Martina Navratilova won the US Open title, completing the career Grand Slam and becoming only the seventh woman in history to achieve this feat.
1983: Coaching Changes
In 1983, Mike Estep replaced Renée Richards as Martina Navratilova's coach, a role he held until 1986.
1984: Dominance from 1982-1986
From 1982 to 1986, Martina Navratilova had a dominant reign, losing a total of only six singles matches and securing 13 consecutive victories over Chris Evert.
1984: Long-term Relationship with Judy Nelson
In 1984, Martina Navratilova began a long-term relationship with Judy Nelson, whom she met in 1982.
1984: Calendar Grand Slam in Women's Doubles
In 1984, Martina Navratilova completed a calendar Grand Slam in women's doubles with Pam Shriver, part of a record 109-match winning streak between 1983 and 1985.
1984: Grand Slam in Doubles and Consecutive Singles Majors
In 1984, Martina Navratilova continued her dominance by winning a record six consecutive singles majors and achieving the Grand Slam in doubles.
1984: Avenging the Loss in 1984
In 1984, Martina Navratilova crushed Chris Evert 6-2, 6-0 in the finals of the same Amelia Island event, avenging her previous double bagel loss.
1984: Vision Deterioration
In 1984, Martina Navratilova recalled that her vision had begun to deteriorate, leading her to wear glasses the following year.
1984: AP Female Athlete of the Year
In 1984, Martina Navratilova was once again named the Associated Press (AP) Female Athlete of the Year.
1984: Holding All Four Major Singles Titles Simultaneously
In 1984, Martina Navratilova won the French Open, holding all four major singles titles simultaneously. She became the first player to win majors on clay, grass and hard court on the same year, but her winning streak of 74 matches was ended at the Australian Open.
1985: Doubles Winning Streak
From 1983 to 1985, Martina Navratilova had a 109-match winning streak in women's doubles, partnering with Pam Shriver
1985: French Open Final Against Chris Evert
In 1985, Martina Navratilova played against Chris Evert in the French Open final, considered one of the best women's matches of all time. Evert defeated Navratilova 6–3, 6–7, 7–5.
1985: Martina Autobiography Release
In 1985, Martina Navratilova released her autobiography, titled "Martina" in the U.S. and "Being Myself" in the rest of the world, co-written with George Vecsey.
1985: Starts Wearing Glasses
Martina Navratilova began wearing glasses in 1985 for tennis due to deteriorating vision.
1986: Dominance from 1982-1986
From 1982 to 1986, Martina Navratilova had a dominant reign, losing a total of only six singles matches and securing 13 consecutive victories over Chris Evert.
1986: 1986 US Open
In 1986, Martina Navratilova defeated Steffi Graf in the US Open semifinals, saving three match points and then won the final against Helena Suková. She also won the women's doubles title with Pam Shriver. Navratilova also defeated Graf in straight sets at the WTA Tour Championship and with an 89–3 record, earned the number-one ranking for the fifth consecutive year.
1986: Coaching Changes
In 1986, Mike Estep's tenure as Martina Navratilova's coach ended.
1987: Reached all Grand Slam Finals 1985-1987
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.
1987: 1987 Season
In 1987, Graf dominated the first half of the season, defeating Navratilova in the Miami Open and French Open finals. However, Navratilova defeated Graf in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open. Navratilova reached all four Grand Slam finals, winning two of them, and obtained year-end world No. 2 ranking behind Graf.
1988: Craig Kardon becomes coach
In 1988, Craig Kardon began coaching Martina Navratilova, a partnership that continued until 1994.
1988: Graf's Grand Slam and Wimbledon Final
In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four major singles titles, including defeating Martina Navratilova in the Wimbledon final. Navratilova won nine tournaments and claimed the No. 2 ranking behind Graf.
1989: Rivalry with Graf
In 1989, Martina Navratilova faced Steffi Graf in the finals of Wimbledon and the US Open, losing both matches. She also lost to Graf in the WTA Tour Championships final. Despite these losses, Navratilova secured eight titles and maintained the No. 2 ranking behind Graf for the third consecutive year.
1990: Wimbledon Finals
From 1982 through 1990, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final nine consecutive times.
1990: Last Major Singles Title
In 1990, Martina Navratilova won her last major singles title at Wimbledon.
1990: Continued Wimbledon Dominance Until 1990
Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon singles final for nine consecutive years, from 1982 until 1990.
1991: US Open Final Loss
In 1991, Martina Navratilova lost in the US Open final to Monica Seles.
1991: Split with Judy Nelson
In 1991, Martina Navratilova's split from Judy Nelson resulted in a televised palimony lawsuit, which was settled out of court.
1991: Defeats Graf at US Open
In 1991, at the age of 34, Martina Navratilova defeated Steffi Graf in the semifinals of the US Open, marking the last time they played in a major tournament. Navratilova won the match 7–6, 6–7, 6–4, ending their Grand Slam rivalry with a 5-4 lead.
September 1992: Battle of the Sexes Match
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 won the match 7–5, 6–2, with adjusted rules allowing Connors only one serve per point and Navratilova to hit into half the doubles court.
1992: Lawsuit Against Amendment 2
In 1992, Martina Navratilova participated in a lawsuit against Amendment 2, a ballot proposition in Colorado that prevented sexual orientation from being a protected class.
1992: Mention in Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon
In 1992, Martina Navratilova was mentioned by the titular character in episode 14 of the anime Pretty Soldier Sailor Moon.
1993: Ranked in World's Top 3
From 1977 to 1993, Martina Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
1993: Speaks at March on Washington
In 1993, Martina Navratilova spoke before the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.
1994: The Total Zone Novel Release
In 1994, Martina Navratilova co-wrote her first mystery novel with Liz Nickles, called "The Total Zone".
1994: Wimbledon Final
In 1994, at the age of 37, Martina Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final, where she lost to Conchita Martínez in three sets. She retired from full-time singles competition after losing to Gabriela Sabatini in the first round of the WTA Tour Championships in November.
1994: End of Coaching Relationship with Craig Kardon
In 1994, the coaching relationship between Martina Navratilova and Craig Kardon ended.
1995: Arantxa Sánchez Vicario (1995)
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario's rank in 1995.
1996: Breaking Point Novel Release
In 1996, Martina Navratilova co-wrote her second mystery novel with Liz Nickles, called "Breaking Point".
1996: PowerBook Endorsement
In 1996, Martina Navratilova was featured with Art Monk in an endorsement for PowerBook in the "What's on Your PowerBook?" ad series.
1997: Killer Instinct Novel Release
In 1997, Martina Navratilova co-wrote her third mystery novel with Liz Nickles, called "Killer Instinct".
1999: Ranked Second Best Female Player by Steve Flink
In 1999, tennis writer Steve Flink named Martina Navratilova as the second-best female player of the 20th century in his book "The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century", directly behind Steffi Graf.
2000: Appearance on Will & Grace
In 2000, Martina Navratilova appeared as herself on Will & Grace in the "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" episode, portraying one of Karen Walker's paramours in a flashback.
2000: Member of Laureus Sports Foundation's Academy
In 2000, Martina Navratilova became a member of the Laureus Sports Foundation's Academy.
2000: Returns to the Tour
In 2000, Martina Navratilova returned to the tour, focusing mostly on doubles events while occasionally playing singles.
2000: Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame
In 2000, Martina Navratilova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
2000: National Equality Award
In 2000, Martina Navratilova was the recipient of the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign.
July 17, 2002: Guest on CNN's Connie Chung Tonight
On July 17, 2002, Martina Navratilova appeared as a guest on CNN's "Connie Chung Tonight" show, during which Connie Chung quoted a German newspaper that quoted Navratilova.
2002: Singles Performance at Eastbourne
In 2002, Martina Navratilova returned to singles play at Eastbourne after eight years, defeating world No. 22, Tatiana Panova, before losing in the next round to Daniela Hantuchová.
2003: Mixed Doubles Titles at Australian Open and Wimbledon
In 2003, Martina Navratilova, partnering with Leander Paes, won the mixed doubles titles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon. This made her the oldest major champion and the third player to complete a "boxed set" of major titles. She equaled Billie Jean King's record of 20 Wimbledon titles and extended her overall major titles to 58.
2004: Return to Singles at French Open
In 2004, Martina Navratilova returned to singles play at the French Open after a 10-year absence, but she was defeated by Gisela Dulko in the first round. Despite criticism, she won a singles match at Wimbledon against Catalina Castaño, becoming the oldest player to win a professional singles match in the open era, before losing to Gisela Dulko in the second round.
2005: Ranked Greatest Female Tennis Player by Tennis Magazine
In 2005, Tennis magazine selected Martina Navratilova as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005, surpassing Steffi Graf.
April 2006: Eats Fish Again
In an April 2006 interview, Martina Navratilova mentioned that she had started eating fish again as she found it hard to get enough protein while on the road as a vegetarian.
July 6, 2006: Last Matches at Wimbledon
On July 6, 2006, Martina Navratilova played her last matches at Wimbledon. She and her partner Liezel Huber lost in the women's doubles quarterfinal, and later in the same day, she and partner Mark Knowles lost in the third round of mixed doubles.
August 21, 2006: Last Title in Women's Doubles
On August 21, 2006, Martina Navratilova won her last title in women's doubles at the Tier I Rogers Cup in Montreal, Quebec, partnering with Nadia Petrova.
2006: Billie Jean King's Praise
In 2006, Billie Jean King, a former World No. 1 player, described Martina Navratilova as "the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived."
2006: US Open Mixed Doubles Title
In 2006, Martina Navratilova capped her career by winning the mixed doubles title at the US Open with Bob Bryan, marking her 41st major doubles title and 177th overall. At nearly 50 years old, she broke her own record as the oldest major champion. She also won her last title in women's doubles on August 21, 2006, at the Rogers Cup in Montreal with Nadia Petrova.
2006: Shape Your Self Release
In 2006, Martina Navratilova released a health and fitness book entitled "Shape Your Self".
2006: Equality Forum Icon
In 2006, Martina Navratilova was named by Equality Forum as one of their 31 Icons of the LGBT History Month.
2006: Last Major Title at US Open
In 2006, Martina Navratilova won her last major title by claiming the mixed doubles crown at the US Open, shortly before her 50th birthday.
2007: Criticism of U.S. Under President Bush
In 2007, Martina Navratilova was quoted as being ashamed of the U.S. under President George W. Bush, drawing a comparison to the communist regime in Czechoslovakia following the 1948 coup d'état.
January 9, 2008: Reacquiring Czech Citizenship on January 9, 2008
On January 9, 2008, Martina Navratilova reacquired Czech citizenship, becoming a dual citizen, while maintaining her US citizenship.
November 2008: I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!
In November 2008, Martina Navratilova appeared on the UK's ITV series I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! Series 8, finishing as runner-up to Joe Swash.
2008: Bud Collins' Assessment
In 2008, tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins described Martina Navratilova as "arguably, the greatest player of all time."
2009: Philippe Chatrier Award
In 2009, Martina Navratilova was awarded the International Tennis Federation's (ITF) highest accolade, the Philippe Chatrier Award, for her contributions to tennis both on and off the court.
2009: Plays for Boston Lobsters
Throughout the 2009 season, Martina Navratilova played for the Boston Lobsters in the World TeamTennis pro league.
January 2010: Breast Cancer Diagnosis
In January 2010, Martina Navratilova's routine mammogram revealed a ductal carcinoma in situ in her left breast, leading to her diagnosis of breast cancer.
April 7, 2010: Announces Breast Cancer Diagnosis
On April 7, 2010, Martina Navratilova announced that she was being treated for breast cancer, which was discovered during a routine mammogram in January 2010. She underwent surgical removal of the tumor in March and received radiation therapy in May.
December 2010: Hospitalized for High Altitude Pulmonary Edema
In December 2010, Martina Navratilova was hospitalized after developing high altitude pulmonary edema while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
June 2011: Named One of Time's "30 Legends of Women's Tennis"
In June 2011, Martina Navratilova was named one of the "30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future" by Time magazine.
February 2012: Dancing with the Stars
In February 2012, Martina Navratilova was a cast member on the 14th season of ABC's Dancing with the Stars, partnered with Tony Dovolani, but they were the first pair eliminated.
March 2012: Tennis Channel's Second Greatest Player
In March 2012, The Tennis Channel named Martina Navratilova as the second greatest female tennis player of all time, behind Steffi Graf, in their list of 100 greatest tennis players.
August 2, 2013: Induction into National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame
On August 2, 2013, Martina Navratilova was among the first class of inductees into the National Gay and Lesbian Sports Hall of Fame.
September 6, 2014: Engagement to Julia Lemigova
On September 6, 2014, Martina Navratilova proposed to her long-time girlfriend Julia Lemigova at the US Open.
December 15, 2014: Marriage to Julia Lemigova
On December 15, 2014, Martina Navratilova married Julia Lemigova in New York.
December 2014: Joins Radwańska's coaching staff
In December 2014, Martina Navratilova joined Agnieszka Radwańska's coaching staff.
April 2015: Part Ways with Radwańska
In April 2015, Martina Navratilova and Agnieszka Radwańska decided to part ways after Radwańska struggled in the first half of the season.
May 12, 2016: Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College
On May 12, 2016, Martina Navratilova was made an honorary fellow of Lucy Cavendish College of the University of Cambridge.
2018: Documentary Development
In 2018, it was reported that Glenn Greenwald was developing a feature-length documentary about Martina Navratilova with Reese Witherspoon's production company, Hello Sunshine.
February 2019: Controversy over Transgender Athletes
Following an article Martina Navratilova wrote for The Times in February 2019, Athlete Ally, an LGBTQ athlete advocacy group, removed Navratilova from their advisory board due to her views on transgender women in women's sports being considered transphobic.
March 2019: Apology for "Cheating" Term
In March 2019, Martina Navratilova apologized for using the term "cheating" in the context of transgender athletes competing in women's sports, advocating for a science-based debate.
April 2019: Op-Ed on the Equality Act
In April 2019, Martina Navratilova wrote an article for The Washington Post expressing her opinion that the Equality Act, as it was currently written, would make it unlawful to differentiate between girls and women in sports based on sex for any purpose.
June 2019: BBC Broadcast on Transgender Athletes
In June 2019, the BBC broadcast "The Trans Women Athlete Dispute with Martina Navratilova," featuring interviews with trans women athletes and sports researchers, exploring the debate on whether trans women have an advantage in elite sports.
2019: Recurring Role in The Politician
In 2019, Martina Navratilova had a recurring role portraying Brigitte, a horse trainer, in the Netflix series, The Politician.
August 2020: Letter to NCAA on Transgender Athletes
In August 2020, Martina Navratilova, along with over 300 women, signed a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) supporting an Idaho law that bans trans women student-athletes from competing in female sports.
2021: Leader of Women's Sports Policy Working Group
In 2021, Martina Navratilova became a leader of the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, formed in response to US President Joe Biden's Executive Order 13988, with the goal of protecting women in sports while accommodating trans athletes.
January 2023: Diagnosed with Throat and Breast Cancer
In January 2023, Martina Navratilova was diagnosed with both throat (stage one) and breast cancer after discovering a swollen lymph node on her neck.
March 2023: Cancer-Free
In March 2023, Martina Navratilova stated that she was cancer-free after undergoing more preventive radiation.
April 2023: Support for Nike Boycott
In April 2023, Martina Navratilova supported a boycott of Nike after the company partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman, to advertise a sports bra.
October 2023: Criticism of Deb Haaland's Interview
In October 2023, Martina Navratilova criticized US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland's interview with drag queen Pattie Gonia at the Stonewall National Monument, calling the performer a "pathetic parody of women."
2024: Documentary Filming Confirmation
During an interview at the Salesforce World Tour London 2024 event, Martina Navratilova confirmed that a documentary was currently being filmed with her and Chris Evert.
2024: Criticism of IOC's Decision
In 2024, Martina Navratilova condemned the IOC for allowing women boxers Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting to compete in the 2024 Summer Olympics, despite a lack of evidence supporting claims they are biological males.
2025: Documentary Release
Martina Navratilova confirmed that the documentary being filmed with her and Chris Evert in 2024, will be released in 2025.
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