Martina Navratilova Timeline

(October 18, 1956 – Present)

Martina Navratilova is one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Born in Czechoslovakia, she defected to the United States in 1975, became a U.S. citizen in 1981, and went on to win 18 Grand Slam singles titles and a record number of doubles titles. Known for her athleticism, serve-and-volley game, and fierce competitiveness, she also became an influential advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life

Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia

Oct 18, 1956

Martina Navratilova was born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Her parents divorced when she was three, and she was raised by her mother and stepfather Miroslav Navratil, from whom she took her surname. She began playing tennis at an early age.

Image source: Martina Navratilova

Wins Czechoslovakian national tennis title

1972

At age 15, Navratilova won the Czechoslovakian national tennis championship, signaling the emergence of one of the most talented young players in the world and launching her rapid rise through international tennis.

Turns professional

1975

Navratilova turned professional and quickly established herself as a top player, reaching the finals of the Australian Open and French Open in 1975 while still a teenager competing under the Czechoslovakian flag.

Defects to the United States

Sep 1975

During the US Open in September 1975, Navratilova sought political asylum in New York City, defecting from communist Czechoslovakia. She became a US citizen in 1981, gaining freedom to speak openly about her life and career.

Begins partnership with coach Nancy Lieberman

1980 - 1981

In the early 1980s, Navratilova began working with basketball star Nancy Lieberman on fitness and conditioning, part of a broader transformation that made her one of the fittest athletes in tennis and extended her dominance.

Rivalries and Records

Partners with Chris Evert in storied rivalry era

1978 - 1988

The Navratilova–Evert rivalry became the greatest in women's tennis history, spanning 80 matches from 1973 to 1988. Navratilova led the head-to-head 43–37, including a 36–24 advantage in finals, and their battles defined an era of the sport.

Image source: Evert–Navratilova rivalry

Becomes world No. 1 for the first time

Jul 10, 1978

Following her first Wimbledon title, Navratilova ascended to the WTA world No. 1 ranking, beginning a reign at the top that would ultimately span a record total of 332 weeks, including a stretch of five consecutive years as year-end No. 1.

Records historic 86-win season

Jan 1983 - Dec 1983

In 1983, Navratilova posted one of the greatest seasons in tennis history, going 86–1 with only a single loss, winning three of the four majors and dominating the women's tour to an unprecedented degree.

Begins doubles partnership with Pam Shriver

1983

Navratilova teamed with American Pam Shriver to form one of the most successful doubles partnerships ever, capturing 21 Grand Slam women's doubles titles together and holding a record 109-match winning streak from 1983 to 1985.

Image source: Pam Shriver

Sets record 74-match winning streak ends

Jan 1985

Navratilova's remarkable 74-match winning streak came to an end in January 1985 with a loss to Helena Suková at the Australian Open, marking one of the longest streaks in the history of professional tennis.

Loses Wimbledon final to Steffi Graf

Jul 3, 1988

Steffi Graf defeated Navratilova in the 1988 Wimbledon final, ending Navratilova's six-year reign at SW19 and signaling the emergence of Graf as the new dominant force in women's tennis during the late 1980s.

Image source: Graf–Navratilova rivalry

Grand Slam Career

Wins first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon

Jul 1, 1978

Navratilova captured her first major singles title at Wimbledon in July 1978, defeating Chris Evert in the final. The victory announced her arrival as a dominant force in women's tennis and marked the start of her legendary Wimbledon legacy.

Retains Wimbledon title

Jul 7, 1979

Navratilova successfully defended her Wimbledon crown in 1979, again beating Chris Evert in the final, cementing her status as the world's premier grass-court player.

Wins Australian Open doubles titles

Dec 1980

Navratilova won multiple Australian Open doubles championships in the early 1980s, demonstrating her prowess in both singles and doubles competition across all four Grand Slam tournaments.

Wins first French Open singles title

Jun 5, 1982

Navratilova won her first French Open singles championship in June 1982, defeating Andrea Jaeger in the final, proving her versatility on clay and moving closer to a career Grand Slam.

Image source: 1982 French Open

Wins record sixth consecutive Wimbledon singles title run begins

Jul 1982 - Jul 1987

Navratilova won six consecutive Wimbledon singles titles from 1982 through 1987, a record for the Open Era, bringing her total Wimbledon singles haul to nine championships — still the all-time record.

Completes non-calendar-year Grand Slam

Jun 1983 - Jan 1984

By winning the 1984 Australian Open, Navratilova held all four Grand Slam singles titles consecutively (Wimbledon 1983, US Open 1983, French Open 1984, Australian Open 1984), a feat known as a non-calendar-year Grand Slam.

Wins Wimbledon doubles title alongside singles

Jul 1984

Navratilova frequently swept both singles and doubles titles at the same Grand Slam events, including multiple years at Wimbledon where she claimed the singles trophy with Shriver and also took mixed doubles honors, showcasing her all-around excellence.

Wins fourth consecutive Wimbledon and US Open double

Jul 1984

In 1984, Navratilova completed another dominant season, winning Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open, extending her match-winning streak to 74 matches before losing to Helena Suková in January 1985.

Reaches ninth Wimbledon singles final at age 33

Jul 1990

In July 1990, Navratilova captured her ninth and final Wimbledon singles title, defeating Zina Garrison in the final at age 33, becoming the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam singles title at the time.

Wins US Open mixed doubles title

Sep 1990

Navratilova continued adding to her Grand Slam tally into the 1990s, winning mixed doubles crowns including at the US Open, contributing to her eventual total of 59 Grand Slam titles overall.

Returns to competitive doubles at age 46

2003

Navratilova staged a stunning comeback in doubles in 2003, winning the Australian Open mixed doubles with Leander Paes and the Wimbledon mixed doubles, proving she could still compete at the highest level in her mid-40s.

Wins Wimbledon mixed doubles at age 49

Jul 2006

In July 2006, shortly before her 50th birthday, Navratilova won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Bob Bryan, becoming the oldest player to win a Grand Slam title, capping her final professional season.

Image source: 2006 Wimbledon Championships

Post-Playing Career and Advocacy

Announces retirement from singles play

1994

After reaching the Wimbledon singles final in 1994, Navratilova largely retired from singles competition but continued playing doubles, remaining active on the tour well into the next decade.

Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame

Jul 2000

In July 2000, Martina Navratilova was enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, honoring a career that included 167 singles titles and 177 doubles titles, both all-time records.

Image source: International Tennis Hall of Fame

Publishes memoir 'Shape Your Self'

2006

Navratilova published 'Shape Your Self' in 2006, sharing fitness and wellness advice drawn from her athletic career, following earlier books including her autobiography 'Martina' co-written with George Vecsey.

Plays farewell match at US Open

Sep 2006

Navratilova played her final professional matches at the 2006 US Open, ending an extraordinary career that spanned more than three decades and produced 59 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

Works as broadcaster and commentator

2007 - 2021

Following her playing days, Navratilova became a respected television analyst and commentator for networks including Tennis Channel, BBC, and Amazon Prime, offering expert insight at Grand Slam events while also writing columns and appearing as a public speaker.

Diagnosed with breast cancer

Feb 2010 - May 2010

In February 2010, Navratilova announced she had been diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ, a non-invasive form of breast cancer. She underwent treatment and was declared cancer-free by May 2010, later becoming a prominent advocate for cancer awareness.

Marries Julia Lemigova

Dec 15, 2014

On December 15, 2014, Martina Navratilova married former model and beauty queen Julia Lemigova in New York, having proposed at the US Open that September. She had come out publicly as lesbian in 1981 and has long been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ rights.

Key Facts

Martina Navratilova was born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic).
She defected from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States in 1975 and became a U.S. citizen in 1981.
Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, including a record nine Wimbledon singles championships.
She held the world No. 1 ranking for a total of 332 weeks in singles, one of the longest reigns in tennis history.
After coming out publicly in 1981, she became a prominent activist for LGBTQ+ rights and other social causes.

Source

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