History of Martina Navratilova in Timeline
Martina Navratilova, a Czech-American former professional tennis player, achieved remarkable success, holding the world No. 1 singles ranking for 332 weeks and No. 1 in doubles for a record 237 weeks. She boasts an Open Era record of 59 major titles: 18 in singles, 31 in women's doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles. Her nine Wimbledon singles titles are an all-time record. Navratilova, along with rival Chris Evert, dominated women's tennis during the 1980s.
1948: Coup d'état in Czechoslovakia
Navratilova referenced the 1948 coup d'état in Czechoslovakia to draw comparisons to the US.
October 18, 1956: Martina Navratilova Born
On October 18, 1956, Martina Navratilova, originally named Martina Šubertová, was born in Czechoslovakia. She would later become a Czech-American professional tennis player.
1962: Mother's Remarriage
In 1962, Martina Navratilova's mother, Jana, remarried Miroslav Navrátil, who became Martina's first tennis coach. Martina then took her stepfather's name, becoming Martina Navrátilová.
1965: Greatest Female Tennis Player
In 2005, Tennis magazine selected Martina Navratilova as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005, ranking her directly above Steffi Graf.
1968: Winning Percentage Record
In 1983, Martina Navratilova achieved the best winning percentage for a post-1968 professional tennis player.
1972: Czechoslovakia National Tennis Championship
In 1972, at the age of 15, Martina Navratilova won the Czechoslovakia national tennis championship.
1973: Professional Tour Debut
In 1973, at the age of 16, Martina Navratilova debuted on the United States Lawn Tennis Association professional tour.
1974: First Major Title
In 1974, Martina Navratilova won her first major title.
1974: First Professional Singles Title
In 1974, at the age of 17, Martina Navratilova won her first professional singles title in Orlando, Florida.
1975: Turned Professional
In 1975, Martina Navratilova turned professional.
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 also defected from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States, seeking political asylum.
1975: Asylum in the United States
In 1975, at the age of 18, Martina Navratilova, originally from Czechoslovakia, sought political asylum in the United States and was granted temporary residence.
1976: Wimbledon Women's Doubles Title
In 1976, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert won the Wimbledon women's doubles title, defeating Billie Jean King and Bette Stove.
1977: Ranked in World's Top 3
Between 1977 and 1993, Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
1978: First Major Singles Title at Wimbledon
In 1978, Martina Navratilova won her first major singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Chris Evert in three sets and becoming the world No. 1 on the WTA computer.
January 1979: World No. 1 Ranking
In January 1979, Chris Evert took back the world No. 1 ranking from Martina Navratilova.
1979: Defended Wimbledon Title
In 1979, Martina Navratilova successfully defended her Wimbledon title, again defeating Chris Evert in the final, and earned the World No. 1 ranking at the end of the year for the first time.
1980: Wimbledon Quarterfinal Victory
In 1980, Martina Navratilova defeated six-time Wimbledon champion Billie Jean King in a two-day quarterfinal match at Wimbledon, with a scoreline of 7–6, 1–6, 10–8.
April 1981: Loss to Evert at WTA Championships
In April 1981, Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova in the finals of the Women's Tennis Association championships at Amelia Island, 6–0, 6–0.
July 30, 1981: Coming Out as Bisexual
On July 30, 1981, the New York Daily News published an article where Navratilova came out as bisexual, revealing her relationship with Rita Mae Brown. She had previously asked the reporter to delay publication.
1981: Became a US Citizen
In 1981, Martina Navratilova became a US citizen, after receiving a green card within a month after requesting to defect from Czechoslovakia in 1975.
1981: US Citizenship
In 1981, Martina Navratilova became a citizen of the United States.
1981: Coach Renée Richards
In 1981, Renée Richards became one of Navratilova's coaches.
September 1982: Defeat during US Open Tournament
In September 1982, according to the New York Times, an acute attack of toxoplasmosis "contributed to Martina Navratilova's defeat during the US Open tournament", in which No. 1 seed Navratilova unexpectedly lost to No. 7 seed Pam Shriver in the quarterfinal round.
1982: Winning Streak
From 1982 through 1984, Martina Navratilova lost a total of only six singles matches, including a run of 13 consecutive victories over Chris Evert.
1982: Wimbledon Singles Final Appearance
In 1982, Martina Navratilova began a streak of reaching the Wimbledon singles final 12 times, including nine consecutive years from 1982 through 1990.
1982: Won Wimbledon and French Open
In 1982, Martina Navratilova won both Wimbledon and the French Open.
1982: Co-writes Tennis Instruction Book
In 1982, Navratilova co-wrote a tennis instruction book with Mary Carillo, titled "Tennis My Way".
1982: Meeting Judy Nelson
In 1982, Navratilova met Judy Nelson at a tournament in Fort Worth.
1983: Dominance in Women's Tennis
After losing in the fourth round of the French Open in 1983, Martina Navratilova captured the year's remaining major titles and established an 86-1 record, the best winning percentage for a post-1968 professional tennis player.
1983: Appearance on Hart to Hart
In 1983, Martina Navratilova and Vijay Amritraj appeared as themselves in the "Love Game" episode of Hart to Hart, as guests of honor at a charity tennis event.
1983: Career Grand Slam
In 1983, Martina Navratilova completed the career Grand Slam by winning the US Open title, becoming the seventh woman in history to achieve this feat.
1983: Dominant Season
In 1983, Martina Navratilova had an exceptional season, achieving a winning percentage of 98.9% with a record of 86 wins and only 1 loss. She also began a 74-match winning streak.
1983: AP Female Athlete of the Year
In 1983, Martina Navratilova was named AP Female Athlete of the Year.
1983: Doubles Winning Streak
Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver began a record 109-match winning streak in doubles between 1983 and 1985.
1984: Winning Streak
From 1982 through 1984, Martina Navratilova lost a total of only six singles matches, including a run of 13 consecutive victories over Chris Evert.
1984: Avenged Double Bagel Loss
In 1984, Martina Navratilova avenged her earlier double bagel loss to Chris Evert by defeating her 6–2, 6–0 in the finals of the Amelia Island event.
1984: Calendar Grand Slam in Women's Doubles
In 1984, Martina Navratilova completed a calendar Grand Slam in women's doubles, partnering with Pam Shriver. This was part of a record 109-match winning streak that the pair achieved between 1983 and 1985.
1984: AP Female Athlete of the Year
In 1984, Martina Navratilova was named AP Female Athlete of the Year.
1984: Grand Slam in Doubles
In 1984, Martina Navratilova won a record six consecutive singles majors across 1983 and 1984 while simultaneously winning the Grand Slam in doubles.
1984: Holding All Four Major Singles Titles Simultaneously
In 1984, Martina Navratilova won the French Open, thus holding all four major singles titles simultaneously. She also extended her major singles tournament winning streak to a record-equalling six following wins at Wimbledon and the US Open.
1984: Long-Term Relationship with Judy Nelson
In 1984, Navratilova began a long-term relationship with Judy Nelson, which lasted until 1991.
1984: Vision Deterioration
In 1984, Navratilova's vision began to deteriorate.
1985: French Open Final
In 1985, Martina Navratilova played in what many consider to be the best woman's match of all time, the French Open final against Chris Evert, ultimately losing 6–3, 6–7, 7–5.
1985: Starts Wearing Glasses
In 1985, Navratilova began to wear glasses after her vision started to deteriorate.
1985: Publishes Autobiography
In 1985, Navratilova released her autobiography, co-written with George Vecsey, titled "Martina" in the U.S. and "Being Myself" elsewhere.
1985: Doubles Winning Streak
Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver's record 109-match winning streak in doubles continued between 1983 and 1985.
1986: US Open Victory and Number One Ranking
In 1986, at the US Open, Martina Navratilova defeated Steffi Graf in the semifinals and Helena Suková in the final. She also won the women's doubles title with Pam Shriver and earned the number-one ranking for the fifth consecutive year with an 89–3 record.
1986: Dominant Spell
Martina Navratilova's reign from 1982 to 1986 is considered the most dominant unbroken spell in the professional era.
1987: Major Tournament Finals
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: Grand Slam Finals and Year-End Ranking
In 1987, Martina Navratilova reached all four Grand Slam finals, winning Wimbledon and the US Open. However, Steffi Graf's superior performance throughout the year earned her the year-end world No. 1 ranking ahead of Navratilova.
1988: Coach Craig Kardon
In 1988, Craig Kardon became one of Navratilova's coaches.
1988: Wimbledon Final Loss to Graf
In 1988, Steffi Graf won all four major singles titles, including a victory over Martina Navratilova in the Wimbledon final, 5–7, 6–2, 6–1.
1989: Graf Defeats Navratilova in Finals
In 1989, Steffi Graf defeated Martina Navratilova in the finals of both Wimbledon and the US Open, winning both encounters in three sets. Graf also won against Navratilova in the finals of the WTA Tour Championships. Navratilova, despite skipping the French Open, won eight titles and maintained the No. 2 ranking behind Graf.
1990: Wimbledon Title
Although Wimbledon 1990 was her last major singles title, Navratilova reached two additional major singles finals during the remainder of career
1990: Navratilova Wins Wimbledon
In 1990, Navratilova won her final Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Zina Garrison to claim her record ninth Wimbledon singles crown. She won four other tournaments and finished the year ranked No. 3 in the world.
1990: Wimbledon Singles Final Appearance
Martina Navratilova's streak of consecutive appearances in the Wimbledon singles final, which began in 1982, ended in 1990, after 9 years.
1991: Navratilova Defeats Graf at US Open
At age 34, in 1991, Navratilova defeated Graf in the semifinals of the US Open, concluding their Grand Slam rivalry with Navratilova leading 5–4. This victory marked the last time they played in a major tournament.
1991: US Open Final Loss
In 1991, Navratilova lost in the US Open final to Monica Seles.
1991: Split with Judy Nelson
In 1991, Navratilova's split with Judy Nelson resulted in a televised palimony lawsuit, which was settled out of court.
September 1992: Battle of the Sexes Match
In September 1992, at the age of 35, Navratilova played against 40-year-old Jimmy Connors in the third Battle of the Sexes tennis match at Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada. Connors won the match 7–5, 6–2, with modified rules to favor Navratilova.
1992: Mentioned 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.
1992: Lawsuit Against Amendment 2
In 1992, Navratilova participated in a lawsuit against Amendment 2, a successful ballot proposition in Colorado designed to prevent sexual orientation from being a protected class.
1993: Ranked in World's Top 3
Between 1977 and 1993, Navratilova was ranked in the world's top 3 in singles for 15 years.
1993: Speaks at March on Washington
In 1993, Navratilova spoke before the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation.
1994: Publishes First Mystery Novel
In 1994, Navratilova co-authored her first mystery novel with Liz Nickles, titled "The Total Zone".
1994: Wimbledon Final and Retirement
In 1994, at age 37, Navratilova reached the Wimbledon final, losing to Conchita Martínez. She retired from full-time singles competition after losing to Gabriela Sabatini at the WTA Tour Championships.
1996: Endorsement for PowerBook
In 1996, Martina Navratilova was featured with American football player Art Monk in an endorsement for PowerBook in the "What's on Your PowerBook?" ad series.
1996: Publishes Second Mystery Novel
In 1996, Navratilova co-authored her second mystery novel with Liz Nickles, titled "Breaking Point".
1997: Publishes Third Mystery Novel
In 1997, Navratilova co-authored her third mystery novel with Liz Nickles, titled "Killer Instinct".
1999: Second Best Female Player of the 20th Century
In 1999, tennis writer Steve Flink, in his book "The Greatest Tennis Matches of the Twentieth Century", named Martina Navratilova as the second best female player of the 20th century, just behind Steffi Graf.
2000: Appearance on Will & Grace
In 2000, Martina Navratilova appeared as herself on Will & Grace "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" as one of Karen Walker's (Megan Mullally) paramours in a flashback sequence.
2000: Member of Laureus Sports Foundation's Academy
In 2000, Martina Navratilova became a member of the Laureus Sports Foundation's Academy.
2000: Receives National Equality Award
In 2000, Navratilova received the National Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign.
2000: Return to Tennis Tour
In 2000, Navratilova returned to the tour, primarily playing doubles events and occasionally singles.
2000: Inducted into Hall of Fame
In 2000, Navratilova was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
July 17, 2002: Guest on CNN's Connie Chung Tonight
On July 17, 2002, Navratilova was a guest on CNN's Connie Chung Tonight show. During the show, Chung quoted a German newspaper which quoted Navratilova as saying:
2002: Singles Performance at Eastbourne
In 2002, at Eastbourne, Navratilova won her first singles match in eight years against Tatiana Panova, but lost in the next round to Daniela Hantuchová.
2003: Mixed Doubles Titles at Australian Open and Wimbledon
In 2003, Navratilova, partnering with Leander Paes, won the mixed doubles titles at both the Australian Open and Wimbledon, making her the oldest ever major champion. The Australian Open victory completed her "boxed set" of major titles.
2004: Return to French Open and Wimbledon
In 2004, Navratilova returned to singles at the French Open after a 10-year absence but was defeated in the first round. She later won a singles match at Wimbledon, becoming the oldest player to win a professional singles match in the Open Era, before losing in the second round.
2005: Greatest Female Tennis Player
In 2005, Tennis magazine selected Martina Navratilova as the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005, ranking her directly above Steffi Graf.
April 2006: Resumes Eating Fish
In an April 2006 interview, Navratilova mentioned she started eating fish again to ensure enough protein intake while traveling, after having described herself as a vegetarian.
July 6, 2006: Last Matches at Wimbledon
On July 6, 2006, Navratilova played her last matches at Wimbledon. She and partner Liezel Huber lost in the women's doubles quarterfinal, and she and Mark Knowles lost in the mixed doubles third round.
August 21, 2006: Last Title in Women's Doubles
On August 21, 2006, Navratilova won her last title in women's doubles at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, partnering with Nadia Petrova.
2006: Billie Jean King's Statement
In 2006, Billie Jean King, a former World No. 1 player, said that Martina Navratilova is "the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived."
2006: LGBT History Month Icon
In 2006, Martina Navratilova was named by Equality Forum as one of their 31 Icons of the LGBT History Month.
2006: Publishes Health and Fitness Book
In 2006, Navratilova released a health and fitness book titled "Shape Your Self".
2006: Last Major Title at US Open
In 2006, shortly before her 50th birthday, Martina Navratilova won her last major title, which was the mixed doubles crown at the US Open.
2007: Criticism of U.S. Under President Bush
In 2007, Navratilova was quoted as expressing shame about the U.S. under President George W. Bush, contrasting it with the communist regime in Czechoslovakia.
January 9, 2008: Reacquired Czech Citizenship
On January 9, 2008, Martina Navratilova reacquired Czech citizenship, becoming a dual citizen of both the Czech Republic and the United States.
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 and finished as runner-up.
2008: Bud Collins's Statement
In 2008, tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins called Martina Navratilova "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
Through the 2009 season, Navratilova played for the Boston Lobsters in the World TeamTennis pro league.
January 2010: Mammogram Reveals Cancer
In January 2010, a routine mammogram revealed that Navratilova had a ductal carcinoma in situ in her left breast.
April 7, 2010: Announces Breast Cancer Diagnosis
On April 7, 2010, Navratilova announced that she was being treated for breast cancer after a routine mammogram in January 2010 revealed a ductal carcinoma in situ in her left breast.
December 2010: Hospitalized with Pulmonary Edema
In December 2010, Navratilova was hospitalized after developing high altitude pulmonary edema while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.
June 2011: 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.
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; they were the first pair eliminated.
March 2012: Second Greatest Female Tennis 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 of all time.
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: Proposes to Julia Lemigova
On September 6, 2014, Navratilova proposed to her long-time girlfriend Julia Lemigova at the US Open.
December 15, 2014: Marriage to Julia Lemigova
On December 15, 2014, Navratilova married Julia Lemigova in New York.
December 2014: Joins Radwańska's Coaching Staff
In December 2014, Navratilova joined Agnieszka Radwańska's coaching staff.
April 2015: Parts Ways with Radwańska
In April 2015, 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: Removed from Athlete Ally Advisory Board
Following an article on transgender women in sports that Navratilova wrote for The Times in February 2019, Athlete Ally, an LGBTQ athlete advocacy group, removed Navratilova from their advisory board due to her transphobic comments.
March 2019: Apology for "cheating" term
In March 2019, Martina Navratilova apologized for using the term "cheating" when discussing transgender athletes competing in women's sports, advocating for a science-based debate.
April 2019: Equality Act Op-Ed
In April 2019, Martina Navratilova wrote an article for The Washington Post, expressing her opinion that the Equality Act would make it unlawful to differentiate between girls and women in sports based on sex.
June 2019: The Trans Women Athlete Dispute with Martina Navratilova
In June 2019, the BBC broadcasted "The Trans Women Athlete Dispute with Martina Navratilova," where she interviewed athletes and researchers, presenting different sides of the debate on whether trans women have an advantage in elite sports.
2019: Role in The Politician
In 2019, Martina Navratilova had a recurring role in the Netflix series, The Politician, portraying Brigitte, a horse trainer.
August 2020: Letter to NCAA
In August 2020, Martina Navratilova, along with over 300 other women, signed a letter to the National Collegiate Athletic Association supporting an Idaho law that bans trans women student-athletes from participating in women's sports.
2021: Women's Sports Policy Working Group Leadership
In 2021, Martina Navratilova became a leader of the Women's Sports Policy Working Group, which was formed in response to President Joe Biden's Executive Order 13988, with the goal of protecting women in competitive sports while accommodating trans athletes.
January 2023: Diagnosed with Throat and Breast Cancer
In January 2023, Navratilova was diagnosed with both throat (stage one) and breast cancer after discovering a swollen lymph node on her neck.
March 2023: Cancer-Free Announcement
In March 2023, after preventive radiation, Navratilova announced that she was cancer-free.
April 2023: Boycott of Nike
In April 2023, Martina Navratilova supported a boycott of Nike due to its corporate sponsorship with Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman, for advertising a sports bra.
October 2023: Criticism of Deb Haaland Interview
In October 2023, Martina Navratilova criticized US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland's interview of environmentalist drag queen Pattie Gonia outside New York's Stonewall National Monument, calling the performer a "pathetic parody of women."
2024: Documentary Filming
During an interview at the Salesforce World Tour London 2024 event, Navratilova confirmed that a documentary was currently being filmed with her and Chris Evert.
2024: Condemnation of Imane Khelif's Olympic Participation
In 2024, Martina Navratilova has repeatedly condemned the International Olympic Committee for allowing Imane Khelif to box in the 2024 Summer Olympics, based on her belief that Khelif is not female.
2025: Documentary Release
During an interview at the Salesforce World Tour London 2024 event, Navratilova confirmed that a documentary was currently being filmed with her and Chris Evert, and would be released in 2025.
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