Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova is a legendary tennis player, often described as the greatest in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. With her fitness and determination, she revolutionised women’s tennis. At 18, after losing the US Open semi-final in 1975, she defected from Czechoslovakia to the United States. Martina is the only player to have spent over 200 weeks as world number one in both singles and doubles. She won nine Wimbledon singles titles, part of her total of 18 Grand Slam singles titles. In women’s doubles, she secured 31 Grand Slam titles and 10 in mixed doubles. She is one of three women who won singles, doubles, and mixed doubles titles at all four Grand Slams. Her last Grand Slam victory came in the 2006 US Open mixed doubles, just before her 50th birthday. Over her 33-year career, she won 354 titles, including 167 in singles. Martina has appeared on various television shows, including I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, Dancing with the Stars, and Will and Grace. She currently presents and commentates for the BBC, Tennis Channel, and Sky Sports and speaks at events worldwide. In addition to her autobiography, Martina has authored several books, including Tennis My Way and Shape Your Self, focusing on fitness and diet. She has also addressed the mental health of gay American teenagers in Crisis and penned three mystery thrillers featuring a fictional tennis champion. Martina has received numerous accolades, including seven WTA Player of the Year awards and the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2009, she was honoured with the Philippe Chatrier Award for her contributions to tennis and became an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College, University of Cambridge, in 2016.