Martina
Navratilova
Olympian 2004
Athlete Bio#
Age
68
Hometown
Sarasota
The Short List
After losing in the 1975 U.S. Open semifinals to Chris Evert, 18-year-old Navratilova of Czechoslovakia appeared at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service office in New York and asked for political asylum. The future nine-time Wimbledon singles champion would not see her family or homeland until an emotional trip to Prague in 1986 as a member of the U.S. Federation Cup team.
Quote
"I've never played an Olympics and that's a big carrot," Navratilova said about continuing to play regularly on the 2004 tour. She declined an invitation to play on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, the first year that tennis was welcomed back to the Olympics as a full medal sport and the first year that professionals were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Navratilova said she felt that the Olympics should be strictly an amateur event.
- Making Olympic debut in 2004
- Winner of 18 singles, 31 doubles and nine Grand Slam titles
- At age 47 is oldest Olympic tennis player, eclipsing mark set at 1924 Paris Games by 46-year-old Australian Norman Brookes
- Has a 40-1 record in singles and doubles Fed Cup play representing the United States since 1982 and Czechoslovakia in 1975
- Retired in 1994 but returned to doubles competition in 2000, winning eight titles since her return plus two Grand Slam mixed doubles titles
- Began playing with Olympic partner Lisa Raymond in 2003, winning two titles together
- Owns record 167 singles titles and 174 doubles titles
- Was the number one-ranked singles player in the world for 331 total weeks; also former No. 1 doubles player
- Became a U.S. citizen on July 21, 1981
After losing in the 1975 U.S. Open semifinals to Chris Evert, 18-year-old Navratilova of Czechoslovakia appeared at the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service office in New York and asked for political asylum. The future nine-time Wimbledon singles champion would not see her family or homeland until an emotional trip to Prague in 1986 as a member of the U.S. Federation Cup team.
Quote
"I've never played an Olympics and that's a big carrot," Navratilova said about continuing to play regularly on the 2004 tour. She declined an invitation to play on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team, the first year that tennis was welcomed back to the Olympics as a full medal sport and the first year that professionals were allowed to compete in the Olympics. Navratilova said she felt that the Olympics should be strictly an amateur event.
Olympic Experience
- 1-time Olympian;
- Olympic Games Athens 2004, 5th (Doubles - Women)
