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A Family Woman Through and Through, 20-Time Wimbledon Champion Martina Navratilova Brings Back Bittersweet SW19 Memory in an Essentially Happy Confession

Published 07/07/2023, 12:07 PM EDT

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Tennis started becoming popular in the late 80s, but none of the matches were aired for the world. The first tennis match was televised in 1939 by NBC. The channel also became the first to televise the match in color, for Davis Cup, in 1955. Though matches were being televised, television sets were precious, and only chosen matches were aired. Wimbledon Championships was the first ever Grand Slam to be aired. The players of the Grass Slam did not enjoy great family time on or off the court back in the day due to limited resources. Martina Navratilova missed this part of the game while reliving the memories.

Speaking of the most memorable moments of her life, the American legend revealed the thing she missed most after winning her first-ever Wimbledon title.

Martina Navratilova reveals how her situation was different from the present age

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The fifty-nine Grand Slam winner revealed her prized memories in a conversation with ‘TopCourt.’ Navratilova relived her iconic moments and revealed, “Best moment, I think, the happiest I have ever been was winning first Wimbledon. But again, my family wasn’t there. We couldn’t share it.”

She further added, “I didn’t know if my parents saw it on TV. That’s how different my situation was from what it’s like these days. And I think also my last, uh, my last win, uh, which was my last match was the Mixed doubles final win with Bob Bryan in the US Open.” This was her last title, which she won in 2006.

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Speaking of this, she shared how she felt while radiating the winner’s glow and charm throughout the conversation.

Days After Wimbledon Poster Controversy, Martina Navratilova Brings Back the Debate to the Fore With a Silent Nod to a Fan’s ‘Atrocious’ Comment

There is always a child-like excitement in her, which makes her interviews more fun and even soothing. Navratilova was winning tournaments at the age when people plan to retire and settle down. Hailing from an era where tennis was just getting popular, the legend went on to be the definition of the game and how!

The Wimbledon powerhouse played tennis for almost 34 years

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In this era, where people are retiring and withdrawing from matches at a tender age, Navratilova played for most of her life. Her time in the game was more than the age at which people were starting to retire due to injuries now. About her last match, the 66-year-old said, “I was almost 50 years old and here I won the, uh, Mixed doubles trophy, and then a month later I got a card from AARP (American Associaton Of Retired Persons). So, yeah. I think those two were pretty special moments.”

Navratilova turned a professional player in 1974 and won her first Wimbledon title in 1978. After her 1983 triumph, she went on to defend her title for six consecutive years, which is more than that of Roger Federer. Navratilova retired at the age of 36 and served as the president of WTA. However, she returned to the court again after 6 years and excelled in doubles and mixed doubles this time.

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The 9 Wimbledon singles title winner went through so much during her career owing to her sexuality, but she answered all the trollers with her game. She even fought Cancer and is vocal about women’s rights, the LGBTQIA+ community, and mental health. Navratilova proves that age is just a number by still being active in the game though she does not play on the court.

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Written by:

Krishna Priya

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Vadlamani Krishna Priya is a tennis writer at Essentially Sports. Pursuing her passion for storytelling, she has a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Helped by her cousin who introduced her to the rules and regulations of the game during her childhood, Roger Federer matches became Priya's gateway to the world of tennis.
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Edited by:

Debmallya Chakraborty