Martina Navratilova dominated at Grand Slam events during the 1970s and 1980s, winning 18 Major singles titles.
The Czech-American WTA legend produced her best tennis at the sport’s four biggest tournaments, completing two Career Grand Slams in singles.
Navratilova won her first Major title at Wimbledon in 1978, 12 years before her final Grand Slam triumph at the same venue.
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On six occasions, Navratilova won multiple Grand Slams in a single year (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987).
Back in 2009, Navratilova explained why she considered 1987 to have been a ‘disappointment’ despite picking up two Majors.
Martina Navratilova said she was ‘disappointed’ with her 1987 season as she was used to winning more
Speaking to the Tennis Channel 16 years ago, Navratilova reflected on the beginning of her 1987 WTA Tour campaign.
“I was winning everything in ‘86, but I was starting to feel it a little bit and ‘87 comes and I cannot win a tournament,” she said.
“I get to the French Open, I get to the final, I lost to Steffi [Graf] again, I was a couple of points from winning the match, but couldn’t close the deal.
“I get to Eastbourne, I’m playing Helena Sukova, I’m up 5-0 on grass, I lose the set, end up losing the match again in the finals.”
Having failed to win a tournament all year, Navratilova returned to SW19, where she was the five-time defending champion.
“Now I’m heading into Wimbledon, I haven’t won a tournament all year,” said Navratilova.
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“I ended up winning the tournament, I beat Steffi in the final, I got to the US Open, won the US Open, so I won two Grand Slams.”
Two Grand Slams weren’t enough for Navratilova to consider 1987 a successful year, however.
“For anybody else [it] would’ve been a great year, but for me, I said, ‘If ‘87 was a fish, I’d throw it back in’,” she said.
“[I was] Disappointed with my year compared to what the years had been before, but I still won Wimbledon and the US Open in the same year, great year, right?
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“No, not for me.”
The former world number one had a realization at the end of 1987 that her time at the top was coming to an end.
“As it turns out, that was the last time I won the US Open, ‘87, and I only won Wimbledon one more time after that, but I did not know that, of course,” said Navratilova.
“At this point, I’m realizing that the end of my career is a lot closer than the beginning.”
Martina Navratilova only won one more Grand Slam title after 1987
In the seven years between 1981-1987, Navratilova picked up 15 Grand Slams, but added just one more to her tally in the next seven years.
Competing in six Major finals, Navratilova lost five times, as she began to struggle against the next generation of WTA stars.
Martina Navratilova’s record in Grand Slam finals post-1987
Navratilova’s rival, Graf, ended her run of Wimbledon titles in 1988, beating her in three sets to clinch her first title on the grass.
Graf beat Navratilova once more at Wimbledon a year later, before taking her down at Flushing Meadows, as she took control of their rivalry.
Returning to winning ways, Navratilova beat Zina Garrison at Wimbledon in 1990, securing her 18th and final singles Major title.
Defeats to Monica Seles and Conchita Martinez followed, as Navratilova ended her career with an 18-14 record in singles Grand Slam finals.
Navratilova’s Major journey still had some way to go, however, in doubles, where she picked up six more titles.
- 1990 US Open women’s doubles – Martina Navratilova/Gigi Fernandez beat Jana Novotna/Helena Sukova
- 1993 Wimbledon mixed doubles – Martina Navratilova/Mark Woodforde beat Tom Nijssen/Manon Bollegraf
- 1995 Wimbledon mixed doubles – Martina Navratilova/Jonathan Stark beat Cyril Suk/Gigi Fernandez
- 2003 Australian Open mixed doubles – Martina Navratilova/Leander Paes beat Eleni Daniilidou/Todd Woodbridge
- 2003 Wimbledon mixed doubles – Martina Navratilova/Leander Paes beat Anastasia Rodionova/Andy Ram
- 2006 US Open mixed doubles – Martina Navratilova/Bob Bryan beat Kveta Peschke/Martin Damm
Winning her last Grand Slam title in 2006 alongside Bob Bryan, 32 years after her first in the discipline, Navratilova’s longevity was cemented in tennis history.
Navratilova retired in 2006 with an Open Era record 59 Grand Slam titles across singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.