A Living Legend

Posted by Andrew Wallace Aug 27, 2006

Martina Navratilova. What a legend.

Possibly the greatest player in the history of women's tennis, the 49-year-old trooper (she'll celebrate her 50th birthday on Oct. 18) won another tournament last week at the Rogers Cup.

Partnered with Nadia Petrova, the Czech-turned-American hero took home her second straight women's doubles crown at the Montreal event and added number 177 to her mind-blowing record of doubles titles. 177! It's honestly shocking.

Really, is there any other female athlete who has dominated her sport the way Navratilova has?

Over the course of her prolific, nearly 30-year career, the former No. 1-ranked player in the world has wracked up more titles than a Barnes and Noble.

As a singles star in the late 70s, all through the 80s and even into the 90s Navratilova won 167 singles titles, including 18 Grand Slams, both records in the Open era. Winning Wimbledon a whopping nine times, the U.S. Open four, the Australian Open three and the French Open two, she became the most dominant tennis player in history with a virtually unstoppable serve-and-volley game that beautifully combined brute strength with a subtle finesse.

In the early 80s she solidified her legendary status with some of the best tennis of her career, playing to an astonishing 86-1 record in 1983, which translated into the best winning percentage of any professional player in history. At one point, she won six straight Grand Slams. The she went on to play in the final of all 11 Grand Slams she entered in between 1985 - 1987. Over the course of the decade, she amassed a 74-match winning streak, the longest of any pro, and became only the third player to win the singles, doubles and mixed doubles crowns at a single Grand Slam event.

In the doubles game she was equally as good if not better, racking up championship after championship. In 1984 she captured a doubles title at all four Grand Slams while retaining her No. 1 ranking for over three years. She recently became the oldest player to ever win a championship at the age of 46 years and 8 months.

Finishing an unparalleled career in style, Navratilova will call it quits after playing out her final doubles tournament at this week's upcoming U.S. Open. While her swan song will surely be overshadowed by the closing of another legendary career, that of the great Andre Agassi, a legend in his own right, history is destined to pay Navratilova her just deserts and the record books cannot help but corroborate its verdict.

Heroes may be remembered, but legends never die.