Rivalries are an important characteristic of any sport. From Los Angeles Chargers VS Denver Broncos in the NFL to Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA, these rivalries make the sport more intriguing. Further, the sport of tennis is no exception. From Steffi Graf vs Monica Seles to Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal, we have seen many memorable matches over the years. However, one cannot forget the on-court rivalry between Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova.

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They faced each other on a number of occasions during the late 80s. During that period, they dished out some mouth-watering encounters as they were a treat to watch. Recently, the two greats of tennis revisited the memories of their great rivalry.

Billie Jean King plays with Martina Navratilova

The two former players found each other on the opposite side of the tennis court. Speaking on facing Navratilova after ages, Billie Jean King said, “What a thrill and a privilege to hit a few balls with Martina Navratilova. The years have passed, but the friendship and memories remain.”

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They faced each other for the first time in Atlanta in 1977. Billie Jean King came out on the top, winning in straight sets 6-4, 6-1. Subsequently, she won the next two matches against Navratilova. However, Martina Navratilova grew up in their rivalry and started dominating her matches against Billie.

Further, they played one of the most memorable matches in Wimbledon in 1980. In the quarterfinal encounter of the Grand Slam tournament, Navratilova came out on the top, winning in a three-setter thriller 7-6, 1-6, 10-8. Their overall head-to-head record stands at 9-5 in favor of Navratilova.

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The two players have gone on to become one of the most successful players in the history of the game. Billie Jean King has won 39 Grand Slam titles across formats. She has 12 major titles in singles, 16 in women’s doubles, and 11 mixed doubles titles. On the other hand, Martina Navratilova has won 59 major titles overall, 18 in singles, 31 in women’s doubles, and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.