Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova is a Czech-American tennis player. She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, in 1956. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles. She is considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time.

Early Life

Navratilova started playing tennis at a young age in Czechoslovakia. She was incredibly talented and turned professional as a teenager. In 1975, she defected from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States to pursue her tennis career.

Martina Navratilova playing in a tennis match in 1980.
Martina Navratilova playing in a tennis match in 1980. (Hans van Dijk for Anefo / Wikimedia Commons)

Big Achievements

Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 31 Grand Slam doubles titles. She won Wimbledon nine times. She dominated women's tennis in the 1980s. She also became an advocate for equal rights.

Fun Facts

  • Navratilova won her first Wimbledon at age 21 and her last at age 46 in doubles.
  • She defected from communist Czechoslovakia at age 18.
  • She won 59 Grand Slam titles in total across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

Did You Know?

Navratilova's rivalry with Chris Evert is one of the greatest in sports history. They played each other 80 times. Their competition helped make women's tennis more popular around the world.