Martina Navratilova is a world-renowned former tennis player and a former world No. 1, widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport. She dominated women’s tennis throughout the 1970s and 1980s and redefined athleticism, longevity, and versatility in the modern game.

Martina Navratilova was born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, the capital of Czechoslovakia, as the daughter of Mirek Subert and Jana Navratilova. Her mother Jana was a former tennis player, gymnast, and ski instructor, while her biological father Mirek worked as a ski instructor. At birth, her surname was Šubertová, but at the age of six, after her mother remarried, her surname was changed to Navratilova. Her parents divorced when she was three years old, after which Martina moved with her mother to a ski resort in the Krkonoše Mountains near Prague. Three years later, her mother married Miroslav Navrátil, a tennis coach, and Martina took her stepfather’s surname.

When Martina was eight years old, her biological father, unable to cope with his troubled life, died by suicide. She developed an interest in tennis at the age of four and began regular training at seven. Her stepfather Miroslav recognized her exceptional talent and deliberately trained her to play with her left hand, even though she was naturally right-handed. This decision transformed her into one of the most dangerous left-handed players in tennis history. At the age of nine, she began training under Czech champion George Parma. By fifteen, she had won the Czech national championship.

In 1973, at the age of sixteen, Navratilova turned professional and began competing in the United States. Due to political pressure from the Communist-controlled Czech Tennis Federation and restrictions that hindered athletic development, her family eventually emigrated to the United States. At eighteen, she competed in the 1975 US Open. Her breakthrough came in 1978 when she won her first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon by defeating American rival Chris Evert.

Residing in Florida, Navratilova became a United States citizen in 1981. Having devoted herself to tennis from a very young age, she officially ended her active professional career in 2005. In 2006, she was named the most successful female tennis player of all time. Over her legendary career, she won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam doubles titles (an all-time record), and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

Her 18 singles Grand Slam titles consist of 3 Australian Open, 2 French Open, 9 Wimbledon, and 4 US Open victories. In doubles, her 31 Grand Slam titles include 9 Australian Open, 8 French Open, 8 Wimbledon, and 10 US Open championships. Between 1978 and 1987, she achieved the extraordinary feat of finishing as world No. 1 for nine seasons.

Navratilova won 1,441 matches during her career while losing only 213. Even at an advanced age, she continued to compete at the highest level and concluded her career with a Grand Slam title. In 2006, partnering with fellow American Bob Bryan, she won the mixed doubles title at the US Open, marking a historic farewell to professional tennis.

Openly identifying as lesbian for many years, Navratilova has been a prominent advocate for LGBT rights. On December 17, 2014, she married her longtime partner, former Russian beauty queen Julia Lemigova, in Florida. Beyond tennis, she has actively supported numerous social movements focused on women’s rights, equal prize money in sports, animal welfare, and environmental protection.

Known for her athletic and muscular physique, Navratilova was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. After six months of treatment, she famously climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, symbolizing her resilience and strength. An aggressive left-handed serve-and-volley player, she is also known for her passion for decathlon training and mountain climbing. With her style, voice, hair, relationships, and fearless personality, she remains a living legend of the tennis world.

In 2014, she began working as the coach of Polish tennis star Agnieszka Radwańska, continuing her influence on the sport beyond her playing career.

Source: Biyografiler.com