Marta Navratilova ments on the illive gay male tennis player

Contents:

• MARTA NAVRATILOVA: LIVG AS AN OPENLY GAY SUPERSTAR SET ME EE
• MARTA NAVRATILOVA ON MEGAN RAPOE AND THE TRAJECTORY OF GAY WOMEN SPORTS
• MARTA {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}CZECH TENNIS STAR MARTA NAVRATILOVA WAS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP TENNIS PLAYERS THE 1970S AND {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAR 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: JASON KOERNER/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1956-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS MARTA NAVRATILOVA?MARTA NAVRATILOVA BEGAN PLAYG TENNIS AT A YOUNG AGE AND WAS ONE OF THE TOP FEMALE TENNIS PLAYERS THE WORLD THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S. LATER LIFE, SHE THORED A SERI OF FICTN BOOKS AND WAS ACTIVE THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT.EARLY YEARSNAVRATILOVA WAS BORN AS MARTA SUBERTOVA ON OCTOBER 18, 1956, PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA (NOW KNOWN AS THE CZECH REPUBLIC). HER PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS THREE, AND NAVRATILOVA AND HER MOTHER, JANA, RELOTED OM A SKI LODGE THE KRKONOSE MOUNTAS FOR A NEW LIFE JT OUTSI OF PRAGUE. AS A RULT, NAVRATILOVA NEVER GREW CLOSE TO HER FATHER, MIROSLAV SUBERT, A PLITED MAN WHO SUFFERED OM PRSN AND LATER KILLED HIMSELF AFTER THE MISE OF HIS SEND MARRIAGE.IN 1962, NAVRATILOVA'S MOTHER REMARRIED, TO A MAN NAMED MIREK NAVRáTIL. NAVRATILOVA EVENTUALLY TOOK HER STEPFATHER'S LAST NAME, TWEAKG SLIGHTLY BY ADDG A FEME "OVA" AT THE END. NAVRATILOVA AND HER NEW FATHER GREW CLOSE, WH MIREK BEG HER FIRST TENNIS ACH.THE GAME WAS CERTALY NAVRATILOVA'S BLOOD. HER GRANDMOTHER HAD BEEN AN TERNATNAL PLAYER WHO HAD UPSET THE MOTHER OF VERA SOVA, A 1962 WIMBLEDON FALIST, A NATNAL TOURNAMENT. NAVRATILOVA'S OWN TENNIS STCTS WERE UPLED WH A PASSN FOR IMPROVEMENT. AT THE AGE OF FOUR, SHE WAS HTG TENNIS BALLS OFF OF A CEMENT WALL. BY AGE SEVEN, SHE WAS PLAYG REGULARLY, WORKG WH MIREK AND SPENDG HOURS ON THE URT EACH DAY, WORKG ON HER STROK AND FOOTWORK. AT AGE NE, NAVRATILOVA BEGAN TAKG LSONS OM CZECH CHAMPN GEE PARMA, WHO FURTHER REFED THE YOUNG PLAYER'S GAME. AT AGE 15, SHE WON THE CZECH NATNAL CHAMPNSHIP. IN 1973, AT 16, SHE TURNED PRO AND BEGAN PETG THE UNED STAT.PRO SUCCSNAVRATILOVA KNEW THAT STAYG HER HOME UNTRY MIGHT LIM HER CHANC ON THE PROFSNAL CIRCU. WH CZECHOSLOVAKIA SQUARELY UNR SOVIET NTROL, 18-YEAR-OLD NAVRATILOVA FECTED TO THE UNED STAT AT THE 1975 U.S. OPEN. THE CISN MEANT SHE'D BE CUT OFF OM HER FAY FOR YEARS, BUT ALSO SET HER REER UP FOR AN UNPRECENTED LEVEL OF SUCCS. IN 1978, SHE WON HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENT WH A VICTORY OVER AMERIN CHRIS EVERT AT WIMBLEDON. NAVRATILOVA FEND HER WIMBLEDON TLE THE FOLLOWG YEAR, ONCE AGA BEATG EVERT THE FALS, AND THEN WON A THIRD GRAND SLAM VICTORY AT THE 1981 ATRALIAN OPEN. BY THE EARLY 1980S, NAVRATILOVA WAS THE MOST DOMANT PLAYER WOMEN'S TENNIS. IN 1982, NAVRATILOVA PTURED BOTH THE WIMBLEDON AND THE FRENCH OPEN CROWNS, AND WOULD GO ON TO LOSE ONLY SIX MATCH OM 1982 TO 1984. IN ALL, SHE WON 18 GRAND SLAM SGL TL, 31 GRAND SLAM WOMEN'S DOUBL CHAMPNSHIPS AND 10 GRAND SLAM MIXED DOUBL. HER GREATT SUCCS ME AT WIMBLEDON, WHERE SHE ADVANCED TO 12 SGL FALS, WNG NE TL. NAVRATILOVA RETIRED OM SGL PLAY 1994, BUT NTUED TO PLAY DOUBL MATCH. IN 2003, SHE WON THE MIXED DOUBL CHAMPNSHIP AT WIMBLEDON. THREE YEARS LATER, SHE REPEATED THE ACPLISHMENT WH A W AT THE U.S. OPEN. COUPLED WH NAVRATILOVA'S ON-URT SUCCS ME HER OPENNS ABOUT HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN. "I NEVER THOUGHT THERE WAS ANYTHG STRANGE ABOUT BEG GAY," SHE WROTE HER 1985 TOBGRAPHY, MARTA. SHE PROPOSED TO HER GIRLIEND JULIA LEMIA ON THE BIG SCREEN AT ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM DURG THE 2014 U.S. OPEN. THE UPLE WED ON DECEMBER 15, 2014, NEW YORK CY.RECENT YEARSIN APRIL 2010, NAVRATILOVA REVEALED THAT SHE HAD BREAST NCER. AFTER SIX MONTHS OF TREATMENT, SHE BEME NCER-EE. IN RETIREMENT, NAVRATILOVA HASN'T PLETELY STAYED OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE. IN MARCH 2012, SHE MA HER BUT ON DANCG WH THE STARS. SHE'S ALSO NTUED TO REMA ACTIVE. NAVRATILOVA STILL REGULARLY PLAYS TENNIS AND PET TRIATHLONS. ADDNALLY, SHE HAS SERVED AS A FNS AMBASSADOR FOR THE AMERIN ASSOCIATN OF RETIRED PERSONS. IN 2008, NAVRATILOVA ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN AN AMY FOR YOUNG TENNIS PLAYERS HER HOME UNTRY, THE CZECH {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• “Y I DID 41 YEARS AGO, STILL NO MEN THOUGH” – MARTA NAVRATILOVA REACTS TO DARIA KASATKA PROUDLY POSG WH HER PARTNER AT SILIN VALLEY CLASSIC AFTER G OUT AS GAY
• MARTA NAVRATILOVA MENTS ON THE ILLIVE GAY MALE TENNIS PLAYER
• 5 ACTIVE TENNIS PLAYERS WHO HAVE E OUT AS GAY OR BISEXUAL, FT. DARIA KASATKA & SAMANTHA STOSUR
• "WH ME, THEY WERE SAYG I HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BEE I’M GAY" - WHEN MARTA NAVRATILOVA OPENED UP ON GENR STEREOTYP TENNIS
• TENNIS SEEMS READY FOR GAY MALE, BUT NONE ARE OUT
• THERE ARE NO PUBLICLY OUT GAY PRO MALE TENNIS PLAYERS AND NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHY

MARTA NAVRATILOVA: LIVG AS AN OPENLY GAY SUPERSTAR SET ME EE

Advotg for the ‘gay muny’ the 1990s. The semal moment Marta’s life as a gay woman and advote me 1993: the March on Washgton for Lbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberatn.

Yet even wh her succs, and her Cold War hero stat as a fector, some Amerins still booed her as the AIDS crisis built to a enzy of homophobia the Uned Stat. Marchg the streets wh an overwhelmg number of gay people like her, Marta felt fortable that April day like never before. Marta Navratilova returned to Washgton, DC, for a send gay rights march, April 2000.

MARTA NAVRATILOVA ON MEGAN RAPOE AND THE TRAJECTORY OF GAY WOMEN SPORTS

Sce g out 1981, she has nsistently ed her voice and her visibily to shift how people view gays and lbians, never shy to speak up and have her voice heard. At a time when gay men and lbians were most heavily unr attack — the 1980s wh the AIDS crisis and the 1990s wh marriage bans and Don’t Ask Don’t Tell — Marta raised her hand and entered the fight, even before many of today’s LGBTQ athlet were born. Marta has ed her posn for good, fightg the anti-gay Amendment 2 1992 and speakg at the gay march on Washgton 1993.

MARTA {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}CZECH TENNIS STAR MARTA NAVRATILOVA WAS ONE OF THE WORLD'S TOP TENNIS PLAYERS THE 1970S AND {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAR 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: JASON KOERNER/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1956-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS MARTA NAVRATILOVA?MARTA NAVRATILOVA BEGAN PLAYG TENNIS AT A YOUNG AGE AND WAS ONE OF THE TOP FEMALE TENNIS PLAYERS THE WORLD THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S. LATER LIFE, SHE THORED A SERI OF FICTN BOOKS AND WAS ACTIVE THE GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT.EARLY YEARSNAVRATILOVA WAS BORN AS MARTA SUBERTOVA ON OCTOBER 18, 1956, PRAGUE, CZECHOSLOVAKIA (NOW KNOWN AS THE CZECH REPUBLIC). HER PARENTS DIVORCED WHEN SHE WAS THREE, AND NAVRATILOVA AND HER MOTHER, JANA, RELOTED OM A SKI LODGE THE KRKONOSE MOUNTAS FOR A NEW LIFE JT OUTSI OF PRAGUE. AS A RULT, NAVRATILOVA NEVER GREW CLOSE TO HER FATHER, MIROSLAV SUBERT, A PLITED MAN WHO SUFFERED OM PRSN AND LATER KILLED HIMSELF AFTER THE MISE OF HIS SEND MARRIAGE.IN 1962, NAVRATILOVA'S MOTHER REMARRIED, TO A MAN NAMED MIREK NAVRáTIL. NAVRATILOVA EVENTUALLY TOOK HER STEPFATHER'S LAST NAME, TWEAKG SLIGHTLY BY ADDG A FEME "OVA" AT THE END. NAVRATILOVA AND HER NEW FATHER GREW CLOSE, WH MIREK BEG HER FIRST TENNIS ACH.THE GAME WAS CERTALY NAVRATILOVA'S BLOOD. HER GRANDMOTHER HAD BEEN AN TERNATNAL PLAYER WHO HAD UPSET THE MOTHER OF VERA SOVA, A 1962 WIMBLEDON FALIST, A NATNAL TOURNAMENT. NAVRATILOVA'S OWN TENNIS STCTS WERE UPLED WH A PASSN FOR IMPROVEMENT. AT THE AGE OF FOUR, SHE WAS HTG TENNIS BALLS OFF OF A CEMENT WALL. BY AGE SEVEN, SHE WAS PLAYG REGULARLY, WORKG WH MIREK AND SPENDG HOURS ON THE URT EACH DAY, WORKG ON HER STROK AND FOOTWORK. AT AGE NE, NAVRATILOVA BEGAN TAKG LSONS OM CZECH CHAMPN GEE PARMA, WHO FURTHER REFED THE YOUNG PLAYER'S GAME. AT AGE 15, SHE WON THE CZECH NATNAL CHAMPNSHIP. IN 1973, AT 16, SHE TURNED PRO AND BEGAN PETG THE UNED STAT.PRO SUCCSNAVRATILOVA KNEW THAT STAYG HER HOME UNTRY MIGHT LIM HER CHANC ON THE PROFSNAL CIRCU. WH CZECHOSLOVAKIA SQUARELY UNR SOVIET NTROL, 18-YEAR-OLD NAVRATILOVA FECTED TO THE UNED STAT AT THE 1975 U.S. OPEN. THE CISN MEANT SHE'D BE CUT OFF OM HER FAY FOR YEARS, BUT ALSO SET HER REER UP FOR AN UNPRECENTED LEVEL OF SUCCS. IN 1978, SHE WON HER FIRST GRAND SLAM TOURNAMENT WH A VICTORY OVER AMERIN CHRIS EVERT AT WIMBLEDON. NAVRATILOVA FEND HER WIMBLEDON TLE THE FOLLOWG YEAR, ONCE AGA BEATG EVERT THE FALS, AND THEN WON A THIRD GRAND SLAM VICTORY AT THE 1981 ATRALIAN OPEN. BY THE EARLY 1980S, NAVRATILOVA WAS THE MOST DOMANT PLAYER WOMEN'S TENNIS. IN 1982, NAVRATILOVA PTURED BOTH THE WIMBLEDON AND THE FRENCH OPEN CROWNS, AND WOULD GO ON TO LOSE ONLY SIX MATCH OM 1982 TO 1984. IN ALL, SHE WON 18 GRAND SLAM SGL TL, 31 GRAND SLAM WOMEN'S DOUBL CHAMPNSHIPS AND 10 GRAND SLAM MIXED DOUBL. HER GREATT SUCCS ME AT WIMBLEDON, WHERE SHE ADVANCED TO 12 SGL FALS, WNG NE TL. NAVRATILOVA RETIRED OM SGL PLAY 1994, BUT NTUED TO PLAY DOUBL MATCH. IN 2003, SHE WON THE MIXED DOUBL CHAMPNSHIP AT WIMBLEDON. THREE YEARS LATER, SHE REPEATED THE ACPLISHMENT WH A W AT THE U.S. OPEN. COUPLED WH NAVRATILOVA'S ON-URT SUCCS ME HER OPENNS ABOUT HER SEXUAL ORIENTATN. "I NEVER THOUGHT THERE WAS ANYTHG STRANGE ABOUT BEG GAY," SHE WROTE HER 1985 TOBGRAPHY, MARTA. SHE PROPOSED TO HER GIRLIEND JULIA LEMIA ON THE BIG SCREEN AT ARTHUR ASHE STADIUM DURG THE 2014 U.S. OPEN. THE UPLE WED ON DECEMBER 15, 2014, NEW YORK CY.RECENT YEARSIN APRIL 2010, NAVRATILOVA REVEALED THAT SHE HAD BREAST NCER. AFTER SIX MONTHS OF TREATMENT, SHE BEME NCER-EE. IN RETIREMENT, NAVRATILOVA HASN'T PLETELY STAYED OUT OF THE PUBLIC EYE. IN MARCH 2012, SHE MA HER BUT ON DANCG WH THE STARS. SHE'S ALSO NTUED TO REMA ACTIVE. NAVRATILOVA STILL REGULARLY PLAYS TENNIS AND PET TRIATHLONS. ADDNALLY, SHE HAS SERVED AS A FNS AMBASSADOR FOR THE AMERIN ASSOCIATN OF RETIRED PERSONS. IN 2008, NAVRATILOVA ANNOUNCED PLANS TO OPEN AN AMY FOR YOUNG TENNIS PLAYERS HER HOME UNTRY, THE CZECH {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Marta is an advote for gay rights, human rights, animal rights, senrs and agast munism.

Navratilova ed her posn as a world champn to fight the anti-gay Amendment 2 1992 and spoke at the gay march on Washgton 1993.

“Y I DID 41 YEARS AGO, STILL NO MEN THOUGH” – MARTA NAVRATILOVA REACTS TO DARIA KASATKA PROUDLY POSG WH HER PARTNER AT SILIN VALLEY CLASSIC AFTER G OUT AS GAY

Marta slams homophobe Margaret Court for ‘hidg behd her Bible’. Tennis in Marta Navratilova lled out Atralian tennis legend Margaret Court a tweet: “amazg how strong her homophobia tly is…”. Some tennis players astonished everyone by revealg their genr publicly and g out as homosexual.

MARTA NAVRATILOVA MENTS ON THE ILLIVE GAY MALE TENNIS PLAYER

We will unravel the top 5 tennis players you didn’t know were homosexual. The lbian, gay, bisexual, transgenr, queer, and other non-cisgenr or non-heterosexual (LGBTQ+) muny is prent wh sports worldwi.

Top 5 Tennis Players You Didn’t Know Were Homosexual. Compared to other sports, Tennis has maly been open and non-homophobic.

Many well-known players are openly gay and lbian and have bee champns proudly, makg themselv known to the world. Brian Vahaly, the top tennis player who me out as a homosexual (Source: Tennis World). Casey Dellacqua is one of the tennis players to e out as homosexual (Source: Ptert).

5 ACTIVE TENNIS PLAYERS WHO HAVE E OUT AS GAY OR BISEXUAL, FT. DARIA KASATKA & SAMANTHA STOSUR

Lisa Raymond, another homosexual tennis player (Source: Twter).

"WH ME, THEY WERE SAYG I HAVE AN ADVANTAGE BEE I’M GAY" - WHEN MARTA NAVRATILOVA OPENED UP ON GENR STEREOTYP TENNIS

Gigi Fernánz is also a renowned tennis player who me out as homosexual (Source: Ptert).

Mart Navratilova me out as homosexual 1981, makg her one of the few tennis players to do so (Source: Getty Imag). But a young wars has no ia she had served a tuna-salad platter wh a si of asparag to someone who, four s ago, was workg to bee the mol for the morn, socially aware Navratilova’s heyday, the 1980s, the world did not have much appete for an outspoken, openly gay woman whose romantic partners sat urtsi while she domated her sport as no one else had – wng 18 Grand Slam sgl tl and 59 all, the last g 2006, when she was 49.

Defectg om Czechoslovakia at 18 saved her soul, she says, and livg as an openly gay superstar athlete set her ee. Beg an openly gay superstar?

TENNIS SEEMS READY FOR GAY MALE, BUT NONE ARE OUT

She qutned why gay people wh Aids did not receive siar sympathy, addg that if a woman ught the disease om beg wh hundreds of men, "they'd ll her a whore and a slut, and the rporatns would drop her like a lead balloon".

THERE ARE NO PUBLICLY OUT GAY PRO MALE TENNIS PLAYERS AND NOBODY REALLY KNOWS WHY

She said Print Bill Clton had wimped out wh his "don't ask, don't tell" policy for gays the ary. At the same time that she ma the cisn not to return to Czechoslovakia, she also realized that she was gay. “I never said no, I wasn’t gay, ” she relled.

Cizenship was still pendg and uld be nied on the grounds of her homosexualy. (This provisn of the Immigratn and Natnaly Act was dropped 1990, when was redrafted by Reprentative Barney Frank, of Massachetts, who is gay. She also told some of the other tennis players that, once she had her passport, “If anybody asks me about , I’m jt gog to say, ‘Y, I am gay.

It seems like happened so quickly, gay marriage and all that, but if you are livg the middle of , happened very slowly. Among them are ESPN anchor Sage Steele, Dave Chappelle, and Marta Navratilova—the gay Czech tennis star who won 18 Grand Slams and has been vol her (rrect) opn that trans women should not pete alongsi cisgenr women. When a former fan told Navratilova that her stance on trans cln sports had, for this particular er, tarnished Navratilova’s legacy as an inic out tennis player who advoted for the rights of fellow gay athlet, the former player rpond, “Too bad you don’t actually re about women and girls.