Martina Navratilova: A look at the tennis legend's records as she fights another battle

At the start of 2023, tennis fans received a big blow as former world number one Martina Navratilova has been diagnosed with throat and breast cancer. She revealed in a statement to WTA, "This double whammy is serious but still fixable. I’m hoping for a favourable outcome. It’s going to stink for a while, but I’ll fight with all I have got."

Having been a fighter on the court during her illustrious career, she has gone through many ups and downs (it is to be noted that previously she had undergone treatment for early-stage breast cancer in 2010 and has been cancer-free ever since). Thus, fans can remain hopeful of her fighting another deadly battle. However, this battle will be a lengthy one for sure.

Martina Navratilova is one of the greatest of all time. The Czech–American former professional tennis player won as many as 18 major singles titles, 31 major women's doubles titles, and 10 major mixed doubles titles, for a combined total of 59 major titles, the most in the Open Era. Her best performances came on the grass court with her winning the Wimbledon championship a mammoth nine times. 

Navratilova also dominated in the Australian Open and US Open, winning them on three and four occasions respectively. 

The 66-year-old Navratilova remained the world No. 1 for a whopping period, i.e. a total of 332 weeks (second to Germany's Steffi Graf), and for a record 237 weeks in doubles. Thus, this made her the sole player in the history of the game to have held the top spot in both disciplines for more than 200 weeks. EPIC!

An envious career

Navratilova also went on to win 167 top-level singles titles and 177 doubles titles, both Open Era records. In addition, she clinched a staggering six consecutive singles majors across 1983 and 1984. At the same time, she also continued her merry run in doubles and claimed Grand Slam titles in the category. The former player has the best professional season-win percentage, i.e. an unbelievable 98.8% in 1983, and the longest all-surface unbeaten streak of 74-straight match victories.

PHEW! SIMPLY UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Martina Navratilova has always fought all odds at all times. Originally hailing from Czechoslovakia, she was stripped of her citizenship at the age of 18 in 1975. Back then, she asked the United States for political asylum and, thus, was given temporary residence before becoming a US citizen six years later. In 2008, Navratilova also acquired Czech citizenship; becoming a dual citizen. 

Navratilova has also been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community. She came out as gay, defying all odds (even to date, many athletes refrain from openly speaking about their sexuality), and married her long-time partner Julia Lemigova in 2014. She remains vocal on various aspects and never shies away from expressing her views. 

Navratilova is rightly considered one of the most inspiring tennis players of all time. She has been bestowed with several recognitions. In 2005, Tennis magazine selected her as the greatest female tennis player. Billie Jean King, a former World No. 1 player, lavished huge praise on Navratilova, in 2006, and hailed her as "the greatest singles, doubles and mixed doubles player who's ever lived." Two years later, tennis historian and journalist Bud Collins labelled the former Czech-American player as "arguably, the greatest player of all time."

In 2000, Navratilova became a part of the Laureus Sports Foundation's Academy. In the year 2006, the 18-time Grand Slam winner had also been named as one of their 31 Icons of the LGBT History Month courtesy of the Equality Forum.