One of the greatest tennis players of all time … Any superlative you might think of to describe Martina Navratilova’s skill on the tennis court won’t do her justice. She dominated women’s tennis in the 1980s, winning all four Grand Slam titles during the decade, including six consecutive singles titles at Wimbledon. Not only did she win 167 singles titles, the open era record for men or women, but she also won 177 doubles titles, winning the last one a month before she turned 50. Giving a public face to her fight against breast cancer … Back in February, Navratilova was diagnosed with breast cancer, news she made public in early April. Thankfully, the cancer was at its earliest stage and hadn’t spread. She’s since had radiation treatment, four times a week for a six-week period. She’s also made sure to let the public know about her journey since the diagnosis, most recently with the show Martina: My Toughest Opponent, which premiered on CNN International earlier this month. Very involved in helping others … She’s also been very active in charity, including causes that benefit groups involved with gay rights, underprivileged children and animal rights. And speaking of active, she’s been named the Health and Fitness Ambassador for the AARP (once known as the American Association of Retired Persons), aiming to help older Americans either get into or keep in good shape.
By the Numbers:
- In December, she plans to lead a group of 28 climbers and climb Mount Kilimanjaro, raising money for the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.
- She once won 74 consecutive matches, the longest streak in the open era.
- Back in March, she took part in Hit for Haiti, exhibition tennis matches that helped raise money for victims of the Haiti earthquake.
- Her first and last singles championships at Wimbledon were 12 years apart.
- In October, she’ll face off against Gigi Fernandez in the 19th annual Celebrity Tennis Classic, raising money for Thunder Road Adolescent Treatment Centers, a program to help young people recover from chemical dependency.
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Photo by gonycmagazine via Flickr.