People | April 22, 2016 02:22 PM EDT
45 Incredible Facts About Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova is a retired American and Czech tennis player and coach, who was named the greatest female tennis player for the years 1965 through 2005 by the Tennis magazine. Here are 45 facts about her:
- Martina Navratilova is the only player to have held the top spot in both singles and doubles for over 200 weeks. She was World No.1 in singles for 332 weeks and 237 in doubles.
- Navratilova was year-end singles No.1 seven times of which five years consecutively and year-end doubles No.1 for five times.
- She was born on October 18, 1956 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. She was named Martina Subertova.
- She was born to Miroslav Subert and Jana Subert. Her mother was an accomplished gymnast, tennis player and ski instructor. Her parents divorced when she was three years old.
- In 1962 Subertova’s mother remarried to a man Mirek Navratil. She took the surname of her step father Navratil and adding feminine to it, she became Martina Navratilova.
- Tennis was in her blood. Her grandmother was a tennis player of repute. By the age of four she was hitting the tennis ball and by the age of seven she was playing regularly. Mirek was her first tennis coach.
- When she was nine years old, she took tennis lesson from George Parma, the Czech champion. She won the Czech National Championship by the age of 15 years.
- In 1973 she competed in the “United States Lawn Tennis Association” professional tour. Same year she made her presence felt in the French Open, when she reached the quarterfinal before losing to Evonne Goolagong 6-7, 4-6. She turned professional in 1975.
- She won her first professional title in 1974 at Orlando, Florida as a 17 years old. She also reached the quarter final of French Opens again before losing to Helga Masthoff.
- The year 1975 was a turning point in Navratilova’s career. She reached finals of two major singles tournament. She was runner-up to Evonne Goolagong in the Australian Open. She lost the finals 6-3, 6-2. She also reached the finals of 1975 French open losing to Chris Evert 6-2, 2-6, 1-6.
- She won her first major title, when partnering Evert, in the 1975 French Open doubles beating Julie Anthony and Olga Morozova 6-3, 6-2.
- With Czechoslovakia under Soviet control, she saw her tennis future in the professional circuit of America. After losing to Evert in the semi-final of U.S Open in 1975, she defected to America and became U.S citizen in 1981.
- She won her first major singles title in the 1978 Wimbledon Championship. She defeated Evert in the final 2-6, 6-4, and 7-5. This victory catapulted her to WTA computer ranking No.1.
- She earned her first year-end ranking World No.1 in singles, when she defeated Evert in the 1979 Wimbledon Championship. She also won her doubles title partnering Billie Jean King.
- Navratilova and Evert probably played the highest scoring women’s professional match, when Evert beat Navratilova in the 1979 Colgate International, Eastbourne, England. Evert survived four match points in three hour final in 7-5, 5-7, 13-11 score line.
- When she lost to Evert in the final of Women’s Tennis Association Championship at Amelia Island, it was for the first time she lost double sets on love score line. Evert won 6-0, 6-0.
- In 1981, she reached the finals of both singles and doubles in the Australian Open. She won the singles title by defeating Evert by two set to one.
- Navratilova hired Nancy Lieberman to improve her fitness and toughen her mental approach. She also started using Yonex isometric midsize graphite-fiberglass composite racket. She became more dominant player in women’s tennis.
- She dominated the 1982 French Open and Wimbledon Championship. She won both singles and doubles title partnering Pam Shriver. In the French Open she beat Andrea Jaeger and 7-6, 6-1 and in the Wimbledon she defeated Evert 6-1, 3-6, 6-2.
- In 1982 she had a winning ratio of 90 to 3 and in the process became the first female athlete to earn more than one million dollar.
- She dominated the women’s tennis in 1983 establishing 86-1 record. Her only loss was in the quarterfinal of French Open singles to Kathy Horvath.
- She won 13 consecutive victories over her nearest rival and World No.2, Chris Evert. In 1982, 83 and 84 she lost only six single matches.
- Navratilova won the final three major titles in 1983 and she won the first three major titles in 1984. Thus holding all major singles title simultaneously to be counted as a “Grand Slam.”
- She lost the semi-final of 1984 Australian Open to Helena Sukova 6-1, 3-6, 5-7. Thus she lost a chance to win all four major in one calendar year. The loss also brought an end to her 74 matches winning streak in singles, a record.
- Navratilova partnering Pam Shriver in the doubles forged a winning combination to record 109 matches winning streak between 1983 and 85.
- In 1985, her loss to Evert in the final of French Open final is considered as the best women’s match of all time. She lost the match after leveling to 5-5 all from 2-4 down in the third set with one set all.
- The loss to Evert in the 1985 French Open was a major turnaround in her dominance over Evert the year earlier. Navratilova led Evert 43-37 overall with 14-8 in the Grand Slam and 10-4 in Grand Slam Finals.
- In 1985 she co-authored her autobiography with George Vecsey titled “Martina” in the U.S and “Being Myself” in the rest of the world. She also wrote fiction novels apart from books on health and fitness.
- She won the rare triple crown by winning the Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles title in the 1987 U.S Open.
- She has a record of 167 singles title and 344 titles in all from singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
- In 1990, she won her final major singles title when she won the Wimbledon Championship defeating Zina Garrison 6-4, 6-1. It was her record ninth Wimbledon singles crown.
- In September 1992, Navratilova played Jimmy Connors in the third “Battle of sexes” tennis match at Caesars Palace in Paradise, Nevada. Connors won 7-5, 6-2.
- In 1994, she reached the Wimbledon finals at the age of 37. She retired from full-time competitive single matches after she lost the finals to Conchita Martinez.
- In 2000, she was inducted in to the “International Tennis Hall of Fame.” She has won 18 singles 31 doubles and 10 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. She is described as the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who ever lived.
- She is the oldest ever major champion when she won the mixed doubles title partnering Leander Paes at the 2003 Australian and Wimbledon. She was 46 years 8 months old.
- She is the third player in history to win the “Boxed Set” of major title by winnings the singles, doubles and mixed doubles at all four majors.
- Evert felt that Navratilova revolutionized game by her athleticism and aggressiveness. Her training technique of playing basketball or work at gym to get in shape for tennis is whole new level.
- She was a month away from her 50th birthday, when she won the 2006 US Open mixed doubles title with Bob Bryan. It was her 41st major title.
- In 1981, in an interview to sport reporter Steve Goldstein of New York Daily News, she revealed her sexual preference. She came out as a bisexual and revealed her relationship with Rita Mae Brown. The article was published against her wish.
- On September 6, 2014 Navratilova proposed to her long time girl friend Julia Lemigova and got married in New York on December 15, 2014. She was 58 year old.
- On February 2010 she was diagnosed for tumor and was surgically removed. She underwent radiation therapy.
- Navratilova is involved in a number of charities for the benefit of animal’s rights, underprivileged children and gay rights.
- She practiced vegetarian before switching over to fish to supplement protein deficiency. She appeared in ad campaigns for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
- In March 2012, The Tennis Channel named Navratilova as the second greatest female tennis player among top 100 players of all time.
- In 2008 she has revealed her plan of opening an academy for young tennis player in her country of birth, Czech Republic. She still plays tennis and has served as a fitness ambassador for the American Association of Retired Persons.
© 2024 BOOMS Beat, All rights reserved.
Do not reproduce without permission.
Do not reproduce without permission.