Martina Navratilova’s Confession of Proposing to Her Wife at the US Open Leaves Tennis Pundits in Splits

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, an 18-time Grand Slam singles champion, shares a deeply personal and enduring bond with her wife, Julia Lemigova, a former Miss USSR (1990) and current star of “The Real Housewives of Miami.” The couple, who met in a bar in 2000 and reconnected eight years later at the French Open, married in 2014 and recently celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary, solidifying a relationship built on mutual care, kindness, and the conscious effort to “keep the romance going” by prioritizing quality time without any distractions.

Their love story, which has expanded to include a blended family with Lemigova’s two daughters from a previous relationship and their two newly adopted sons, is a testament to their commitment, though it was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight during a recent televised discussion that left pundits in stitches. The charmingly awkward incident unfolded on Sky Sports’ US Open coverage, sparked by a light-hearted segment about a fan proposing to his partner during a changeover in Aryna Sabalenka’s night match on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

Presenter Gigi Salmon posed a question to the panel about the acceptability of such a public proposal, to which former British tennis player Laura Robson vehemently replied, “I couldn’t think of anything worse, honestly. I would have said no.” Salmon then humorously warned any future suitors that “it’s a no to proposing on Arthur Ashe,” unaware she was stepping into a comedic minefield.

Martina Navratilova, a fellow pundit, calmly interjected with a devastatingly witty revelation: “I proposed to Julia on Ashe 11 years ago.” The studio immediately erupted in laughter as a mortified Robson, realizing her gaffe, covered her face with her hands and joked, “I’ll just show myself out,” while Salmon playfully added, “Bye, Laura. Thanks for coming.” Navratilova, enjoying the moment, added with a smile, “So far so good,” confirming the success of her own Ashe stunt.

As Salmon sought clarification on the timing, Navratilova elaborated that the proposal occurred during a match changeover a decade prior, and they were displayed on the stadium screen, a detail that left the panel amazed. She then charmingly recounted the nervous anticipation of the moment, noting, “I got down on my knee, and Julia’s like looking at me. I’m like, can you please say something? My knees are killing me. She finally said yes. It took her a while, though.”

The good-natured ribbing continued as Tim Henman, another pundit, fanned the flames by noting, “It’s quite hot in here all of a sudden, isn’t it, Laura?” Robson, attempting to recover, valiantly argued that “everybody’s personality is different,” a point Henman undercut by advising her to “just quit, you know, just leave it.” When Salmon checked on Robson’s state of mind and asked if she wished to change her answer, the former Wimbledon junior champion managed to salvage a shred of dignity by pointing out the most important fact of all: “And they’re still together.” What a discussion they had! In any case, the love that the pair has is easy to see in public.

Martina Navratilova is always showered with love from her wife

A little while back, Martina Navratilova was at the Miami Open doing some commentary, and she shared a clip of herself talking with up-and-coming player Arthur Fils—who had just taken down World No. 2 Alexander Zverev—in a round-of-16 interview. Julia Lemigova responded with a charmingly subtle show of support: she commented on the post with just “Martina at Work” and added three heart emojis.

The gesture really showed off both pride and affection beautifully. Lemigova’s little shout-out really shows the strength of their partnership. Even with Navratilova’s busy schedule, traveling and working as a commentator, Lemigova’s unwavering support and admiration provide a lovely insight into how they connect with each other.

Her sweet response on social media really shows how proud she is of her wife’s work, and it totally connects with the fans who love the chemistry between them and the way they support each other.