Martina Navratilova [edit]
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Martina Navratilova (b. October 18, 1956, near Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a former World No. 1 woman tennis player. Originally from Czechoslovakia, she defected to the United States in 1975 and became a US citizen in 1981. During her career she won 18 Grand Slam singles titles and 40 Grand Slam doubles titles. She won the women's singles title at Wimbledon a record 9 times.
A left-handed serve-and-volleyer with superb volleying skills, Navratilova raised the womens game to new levels with her power and aggression.
In 1981, shortly after being granted U.S. citizenship, Navrtilova took the bold step of coming out about her sexual orientation. In response to media speculation about her relationship with the author Rita Mae Brown, Navratilova became one of the first major sports stars to announce that she was a lesbian.
Navratilova's openness about her sexuality almost certainly cost her millions in endorsement opportunities because of corporate homophobia.
When not playing tennis, Navratilova is involved with various charities that benefit animal rights, underprivileged children and gay rights. She released an autobiography, simply entitled Martina, in 1985, and also co-wrote three mystery novels in the 1990s.
Navratilova also made a humorous guest appearance on the gay-themed NBC sitcom Will & Grace, in a 2000 episode called "Lows In The Mid-Eighties", in which a flashback revealed she had been heterosexual until a 1985 relationship with Karen turned her gay.
A left-handed serve-and-volleyer with superb volleying skills, Navratilova raised the womens game to new levels with her power and aggression.
In 1981, shortly after being granted U.S. citizenship, Navrtilova took the bold step of coming out about her sexual orientation. In response to media speculation about her relationship with the author Rita Mae Brown, Navratilova became one of the first major sports stars to announce that she was a lesbian.
Navratilova's openness about her sexuality almost certainly cost her millions in endorsement opportunities because of corporate homophobia.
When not playing tennis, Navratilova is involved with various charities that benefit animal rights, underprivileged children and gay rights. She released an autobiography, simply entitled Martina, in 1985, and also co-wrote three mystery novels in the 1990s.
Navratilova also made a humorous guest appearance on the gay-themed NBC sitcom Will & Grace, in a 2000 episode called "Lows In The Mid-Eighties", in which a flashback revealed she had been heterosexual until a 1985 relationship with Karen turned her gay.
