One of the top female tennis players of all time, Martina Navratilova is known for her courage, stamina and determination

• Human rights and equality
• What it takes to be a champion
• Overcoming adversity
• Healthy lifestyle and fitness
• Setting and achieving your goals

Determination, skill and honesty have been the hallmarks of Martina Navratilova’s amazing career. Overcoming a tough childhood in Czechoslovakia to become one of the best female tennis players of all time, she has inspired numerous others to follow in her footsteps. Known for her success both in singles and doubles competitions, she has set the all-time record with 31 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles. Her major career statistics are outlined below:

• 18 Grand Slam singles titles
• 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles
• Nine times winner of Wimbledon women’s singles title
• Became the oldest player to ever win a Grand Slam title (at 49 years of age)
• Win - Loss Record in Singles: 1442 - 219
• Win- Loss Record in Doubles: 747 – 143

During her career, Navratilova played at top level competitions such as the US, French, Australian Open and Wimbledon. Known for her speed and agility, she was able to stay at the top of her game for many years, achieving an almost legendary sporting status. She initially retired from professional play in 1994, but returned to tennis in 2000, continuing her successful career. She retired for the second time in 2006, having set the record for the oldest player to have won a Grand Slam title at the 2006 US Open.

Stamina, dedication and self-belief are all prerequisites for a sporting career. Navratilova recently harnessed her inner strength in order to face a new adversity when diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010. She was determined not to let the disease defeat her, even taking part in a triathlon just two weeks after surgery to remove cancerous tissue. Since beating the disease, she has been outspoken about the importance of women attending regular mammogram appointments and has appeared in interviews in order to raise breast cancer awareness. Speaking of her diagnosis and treatment, she has said that battling the disease made her less worried about life’s little issues and has helped her focus on the bigger picture.

Navratilova has appeared on numerous occasions as a guest on television and radio shows and has featured in numerous magazines and other printed media. She was a contestant in the 2008 series of ITV’s ‘I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!’, winning public support and remaining in the competition until day 21, finishing as runner up to Joe Swash. She provides commentary for Grand Slam coverage on the Tennis Channel.

Navratilova is, or has been, involved with a number of charities, including PETA, the Human Rights Campaign, the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation, Chris Evert Charities and Save the Rhino. She has worked as Fitness Ambassador for the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) since 2007, assisting members to have a positive attitude towards exercise and educating them about its benefits during the aging process. She seeks to support underprivileged children, animal welfare, conservation and gay rights.

Positions and Honours

• Tour Player of the Year - World Tennis Association 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986
• Female Athlete of the Year – Associated Press 1983, 1986
• One of Sport’s Illustrated’s ‘Top Forty Athletes of All Time’
• Inducted into International Hall of Fame, 2000
• One of Time’s ‘30 Legends of Women's Tennis: Past, Present and Future’, 2011
• Second greatest female tennis player of all time - The Tennis Channel, 2012
• Greatest female tennis player for the years between 1965 and 2005 - Tennis magazine
• National Equality Award - Human Rights Campaign, 2000

Praise for Martina Navratilova
"the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived." - Billie Jean King
“She has that rare, exceedingly admirable quality of seeming incapable of pretending to be anything she's not, even when doing so might be to her advantage.” – Patrick Ness, The Guardian

• Tennis my Way (with Mary Carillo) (1984)
• Being myself (1986)
• Martina (with George Vecsey) (1987)
• The Total Zone (with Elizabeth Nickles) (1995)
• Shape Your Self: My 6-Step Diet and Fitness Plan to Achieve the Best Shape of Your Life (2006)

• English