Martina Navratilova is a Czech-American former professional tennis player, LGBTQ+ advocate, and one of the most successful athletes in tennis history. Born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia, she turned 70 in October 2026.
Her career ran from the 1970s through her final competitive appearance in 2006. She won 167 singles titles and 177 doubles titles, both Open Era records, and her 59 major championships remain the highest total in Open Era tennis.
Off the court, her biography includes a famous defection from communist Czechoslovakia in 1975, a long record of LGBTQ+ advocacy, a marriage to former Miss USSR Julia Lemigova, and two public cancer battles.
Who Is Martina Navratilova’s Wife, Julia Lemigova?
Martina Navratilova at a Glance
- Who: Tennis icon and former world No. 1; born in Czechoslovakia, later became a U.S. citizen.
- Record: 18 Grand Slam singles titles; 9 Wimbledon singles titles; 59 Grand Slam titles overall.
- Family: Married to former model Julia Lemigova.
- Health: Publicly disclosed breast and throat cancer in 2023; later reported cancer-free.
- Grand Slam record: 18 singles titles and 59 major titles overall.
- Marriage: Married to Julia Lemigova since 2014; no marriage to a man is recorded.
- Ranking: Reached world No. 1 in 1978 and spent 332 weeks at the top.
- Health: Disclosed stage-one throat cancer and breast cancer recurrence in January 2023; reported being “all clear” in June 2023.
- Net worth: Estimates vary and are not audited; generally placed in the multi-million-dollar range.
- Defection: Defected from Czechoslovakia in 1975 and became a U.S. citizen in 1981.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia |
| Citizenship | United States since 1981; previously Czechoslovak |
| Wife | Julia Lemigova, married in 2014 |
| Grand Slam singles titles | 18 |
| Total Grand Slam titles | 59 |
| Wimbledon singles titles | 9 |
| Cancer disclosure | January 2023 — breast and throat cancer |
| Net worth | Not publicly audited; estimates vary by source |
Navratilova married Julia Lemigova on December 15, 2014, in New York, after proposing to her at the 2014 US Open. Lemigova, a former Miss USSR and reality-TV personality, joined The Real Housewives of Miami in 2021, becoming the first person in the Real Housewives franchise to be married to a woman.
Questions still circulate about whether Navratilova ever had a husband, but the record is straightforward: she has never been married to a man. Her only documented marriage is to Lemigova.
Public biographies generally describe the couple as raising two daughters — Victoria, often called Vika or Vikka, and Emma — who are Lemigova’s children from earlier relationships. Some recent biographical accounts also describe Navratilova and Lemigova as having adopted two sons, and CNN identifies Navratilova’s children as two adopted sons. Because reporting is inconsistent about the family’s precise legal and household arrangements, the most reliable summary is that the couple have raised Lemigova’s daughters and have also been associated with adopted sons in later accounts.
Lemigova previously had a son, Maximilian, who died in infancy after suffering shaken-baby syndrome while in the care of a nanny.
How Many Grand Slams Did Martina Navratilova Win?
Navratilova won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 women’s doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles, for a total of 59 major championships. That total is the Open Era record across both men’s and women’s tennis, according to the WTA’s official records.
| Category | Titles |
|---|---|
| Women’s singles | 18 |
| Women’s doubles | 31 |
| Mixed doubles | 10 |
| Total major titles | 59 |
Her Open Era records are anchored by her dominance at Wimbledon: 9 singles titles, including six consecutive victories from 1982 through 1987. She also won the Australian Open three times, the French Open twice, and the US Open four times.
Navratilova reached world No. 1 in 1978 and spent 332 weeks at the top of the rankings. Her main career rival was Chris Evert, whom she defeated in the 1978 Wimbledon final to win her first Grand Slam singles title. In 2006, shortly before turning 50, she won the US Open mixed-doubles title with Bob Bryan, becoming the oldest Grand Slam champion in tennis history.
Navratilova’s four consecutive major singles titles between 1983 and 1984 are sometimes described as a “Grand Slam.” The victories did not occur within one calendar year, so the description is not an official Grand Slam.
What Was Martina Navratilova Like as a Young Player?
Navratilova began playing tennis as a child and won the Czechoslovak national championship at age 15. At 18, she defected from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States during the 1975 U.S. Open period, a decision that separated her from her family for years but allowed her to pursue her career more freely. She became a U.S. citizen in 1981, and her Czech citizenship was restored in 2008.
How Did Martina Navratilova Compare to Monica Seles?
Detailed head-to-head statistics between Navratilova and Monica Seles are not part of the published record. What is documented is that Navratilova’s principal on-court rival was Chris Evert, whom she beat in the 1978 Wimbledon final for her first Grand Slam singles title. Navratilova’s 59 major titles remain the Open Era record across men’s and women’s tennis.
For a closer look at a contemporary tennis career, see Paula Badosa – Career, Injuries and 2025 Season.
What Is Martina Navratilova’s Cancer Story?
What Cancers Has Navratilova Been Diagnosed With?
Navratilova has faced cancer twice. In 2010, she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, underwent surgery and radiation, and later announced that she was cancer-free. In January 2023, she disclosed that she had been diagnosed with stage-one throat cancer and a recurrence of breast cancer.
What Is Her Current Health Status?
She completed treatment and announced in June 2023 that she was “all clear.” Her 2023 diagnosis also led her to postpone or reconsider plans related to adoption, according to entertainment coverage.
The January 2023 disclosure concerned a stage-one throat cancer diagnosis and a breast cancer recurrence. Navratilova completed treatment and said in June 2023 that she was “all clear.”
How Old Is Martina Navratilova and What Is Her Net Worth?
Navratilova was born on October 18, 1956, in Prague, Czechoslovakia, making her 70 years old as of late October 2026. She became a U.S. citizen in 1981 and had her Czech citizenship restored in 2008.
On net worth, the public record is less definitive. Estimates vary and are not based on audited financial disclosures. Available celebrity-finance coverage generally places her fortune in the multi-million-dollar range, built through tournament winnings, endorsements, broadcasting, writing, and other business activities.
No authoritative public source establishes an exact current net worth for Navratilova. Figures that circulate online should be treated as estimates.
What Are the Key Milestones in Martina Navratilova’s Life?
- — Born in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
- — Defected to the United States during the U.S. Open period.
- — Defeated Chris Evert to win her first Wimbledon singles title.
- — Became a U.S. citizen.
- — Played her final professional match at Wimbledon.
- — Married Julia Lemigova in New York.
- — Disclosed stage-one throat cancer and breast cancer recurrence (per CNN Fast Facts).
- — Reported being “all clear” after treatment (per CNN Fast Facts).
What Is Confirmed and What Remains Uncertain About Martina Navratilova?
| Established information | Information that remains unclear |
|---|---|
| Navratilova is a former world No. 1 tennis player. | Her exact net worth is not established; estimates vary by source. |
| She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 59 major titles overall. | Her current cancer-recovery status should be verified against her latest public statement or a major news outlet. |
| She is married to Julia Lemigova. | The precise legal and household arrangement involving children is reported inconsistently across sources. |
| She defected from Czechoslovakia in 1975 and became a U.S. citizen in 1981. | |
| She announced breast and throat cancer diagnoses in January 2023. |
Why Is Martina Navratilova’s Defection Significant?
In 1975, at age 18, Navratilova defected from communist Czechoslovakia to the United States during the U.S. Open period. The decision separated her from her family for years but allowed her to pursue her tennis career without the political restrictions she faced at home. In a first-person interview marking the 50th anniversary of the defection, she described the lasting weight of that choice.
The defection also explains her dual national identity. She became a U.S. citizen in 1981, and her Czech citizenship was restored in 2008. The episode remains central to understanding her rise, her public image, and the political dimension of her career.
Navratilova publicly came out as bisexual in 1981 and later became an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, women’s equality, and transgender-athlete policy debates. She has also worked as a tennis commentator, author, and coach.
Where Can Readers Find Trusted Information About Martina Navratilova?
Statistical career data is available from the ITF official player profile and the WTA Legends page. For recent news and health statements, the BBC topic hub tracks developments as they are reported. Encyclopaedia Britannica offers a biographical overview, while CNN’s Fast Facts page compiles key dates in her personal and professional life.
Wimbledon’s official site preserves historical championship records, and the American Cancer Society provides background reference material on cancer terminology that appears in reporting about her health.
What Makes Martina Navratilova a Historic Figure in Tennis?
Martina Navratilova’s career achievements — 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 59 major titles overall, 167 singles titles, 177 doubles titles, and 332 weeks at world No. 1 — place her among the most decorated athletes in tennis history. Her defection, her advocacy, and her later public health struggles add context that goes far beyond the court. A comparable sports-profile retrospective, Stephen Hendry – Career Records, Titles and 2025 Status, examines how another athlete’s record was built across a long career.
What Are People Asking About Martina Navratilova?
Does Martina Navratilova have children?
Public biographies generally describe the couple as raising two daughters, Victoria and Emma, Julia Lemigova’s children from earlier relationships. Some recent accounts also mention adopted sons, but reporting on the family’s exact structure is inconsistent.
Was Martina Navratilova ever married to a man?
No. Navratilova’s only documented marriage is to Julia Lemigova, whom she married in New York on December 15, 2014. No marriage to a male partner has ever been recorded.
When did Navratilova come out publicly?
She publicly came out as bisexual in 1981. She later became an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and women’s equality.
Who is Julia Lemigova?
A former Miss USSR and reality-TV personality. She married Navratilova in 2014 and joined The Real Housewives of Miami in 2021, becoming the first same-sex spouse in the Real Housewives franchise.
How many weeks was Navratilova ranked world No. 1?
She spent 332 weeks at world No. 1 after first reaching the top in 1978.
What was Navratilova’s 1983–84 run sometimes called?
Her four consecutive major singles titles between 1983 and 1984 are sometimes described as a “Grand Slam,” although the victories did not occur within one calendar year.
When did Navratilova become a U.S. citizen?
She became a U.S. citizen in 1981. Her Czech citizenship was restored in 2008.
Oliver Arthur Morgan Harrison is a staff writer for StoryShift.uk, covering UK news, culture, politics and technology. He works under Editor-in-Chief Maarika Tamm and UK Managing Editor Oliver Grant, following the newsroom standards for sourcing, verification and fact-checking set out in our editorial policies.