Martina Navratilova

Martina Navratilova, tennis player extraordinaire, who took women’s tennis to a new level with her speed, determination, and agility. She won the Wimbledon women’s singles title a record 9 times and has been described by many as “the greatest singles, doubles, and mixed doubles player who’s ever lived”.

In all, Martina has won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles (an all-time record), and 10 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles.

The same determination which helped bring her such remarkable achievements on court has most recently helped her through her latest battle, against breast cancer, diagnosed earlier last year. She had an operation to remove cancerous tissue and two weeks later took part in a triathlon.

Martina has been described as honest, feisty, self deprecating, courageous, and controversial. She’s always told it from the heart, never flinching from an unpopular comment or cause if she believes it to be right.

When not playing tennis, Martina is involved with various charities that benefit animal rights, underprivileged children, and gay rights. In 2008 she took part in ITV’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!.

In 2006 she wrote “Shape Your Self” – a guide to health and fitness. In 1985 Martina released an autobiography, co-written with New York Times sports columnist George Vecsey, entitled Martina in the US and Being Myself in the Rest of the World. She had earlier co-written a tennis instruction book with Mary Carillo in 1982 entitled Tennis My Way. She later wrote three mystery novels with Liz Nickles: The Total Zone (1994); Breaking point (1996); and Killer Instinct (1997).

Originally from Czechoslovakia, Martina was stripped of her citizenship when, in 1975 at the age of 18, she asked the United States for political asylum. She became a US citizen in 1981 but, two years ago, had her Czech citizenship restored.

She is available for all types of corporate engagements from Q & A to tennis clinics. In 2011 alone she has appeared on the Andrew Marr Show and a Question of Sport. She also was the centre piece for the BBC 1 Programme 125 years of Wimbledon. She has spoken at numerous conferences on the subject of diversity as well as her long tennis career. During Wimbledon 2011 and 2013 she had her own column for the Times. Martina was part of the commentary team for the BBC for both Wimbledon and the US Open in 2013 and BT signed her as their senior tennis anchor for the WTA season, starting in September 2013. She also presented Andy Murray with his Sports Personality of the Year Award at the 60th anniversary of SPOTY 2013.