LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Martina Navratilova: Years
built 633 days ago
Paes and Navratilova beat Andy Ram and Anasstasia Rodionova 6-3, 6-3 in the final. Just a few hours earlier, they defeated Leos Friedl and Liezel Huber 7-5, 6-4 in the semifinals. It's their second major mixed doubles title of the year -- they won the Australian Open without dropping a set. And Navratilova joked that it never would have happened if they both hadn't been dumped by their respective mixed doubles partners.
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Navratilova was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on October 18, 1956. Her parents divorced when she was three years old. Her mother, a ski instructor, married Mirek Navratil when she was six. He was a loving and supportive stepfather, who was her first tennis coach.
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The 140 lb., 5’8” Navratilova made extreme fitness her aim, following a computer-generated regimen in training and diet. Evert was now not only her friend and role model but a rival who had to be defeated every time they met. When Evert was in top form, their track record read 21-4, but Navratilova won their last encounter in Chicago in 1988 to wind up with a 37-43 edge. Three years later, Navratilova ... overtook Evert’s record 157 pro singles tournament victories.
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Navratilova officially retired from professional tennis in September 2006, and now acts as a sports commentator. She supports many charities and is a gay activist, which is of particular note because she acknowledged her sexual orientation at a time when this was a risky thing to do, due to homophobia. She is ... the current Health and Fitness ambassador for the American Association of Retired Persons, an advocacy group for persons over 50 years old. Navratilova has written several books, including co-authoring mystery novels.
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When not playing tennis, Navratilova is involved with various charities that benefit animal rights, underprivileged children, and gay rights. She filed a lawsuit against Amendment 2, a 1992 ballot proposition in Colorado designed to deny gays and lesbians legal protection from discrimination. In the same year, she spoke before the National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights.
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From 1973 through 1982 Navratilova was no worse than No. 4 in the world rankings, attaining No. 1 in 1978, keeping it in 1979. She returned for a record run of 150 weeks, 1982 into 1987, until supplanted by Graf in 1987, who broke the record with 186 straight weeks. She ranked in the U.S. Top Ten 14 years, no worse than No. 3 (1980 and 1981), and at No. 1 a record 12 years, 11 straight since 1982... a record.
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