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Martina Navratilova racquets
Navratilova won sensational 59 Grand Slam titles in her career, and even at the age of 49 she won her last Grand Slame title before resigning - the US Open Mixed 2006 with Bob Bryan - absolutely unique! Some other Navratilova records: She holds 167 singles titles, more than any man/woman player; won at least one Tour event a year for 21 consecutive years; holds 177 doubles titles, incl. seven won in 2003 and one won in 2004; has won singles and doubles titles at same event 84 times to lead all players; was ranked No. 1 for a total of 331 weeks on nine different occasions; 156 consecutively from June 14, 1982-June 9, 1985, second only to GrafÆs 1987-90 record 186 weeks; in her career, Navratilova defeated Chris Evert 43 times (43-37), Billie Jean King nine times (9-5), Tracy Austin 21 times (21-13), Evonne Goolagong 15 times (15-12), Hana Mandlikova 30 times (30-7), Andrea Jeager 11 times (11-4), Steffi Graf nine times (9-9), Gabriela Sabatini 15 times (15-6), Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario 12 times (12-3) and Monica Seles seven times (7-10); Her Golden Run from December 21,1981 through January 24, 1987 (61-month period) saw her win 71 titles, 12 of 17 Grand Slam singles titles (including six straight) and 432 of 446 matches - a 0.969 win-percentage, losing only 14 matches to nine players. Aside from her countless titles and her even more plentiful accomplishments over several decades on the WTA Tour, one of Martina Navratilova's greatest achievements was how she consistently touched and inspired fans worldwide with her passion for the sport, on and off the court.
Martina Navratilova playing Yonex Carbonex2 and Yonex R-7. These two advertisements are copyright by Yonex and presented with exclusive permission by Yonex. The publication permission is strictly restricted to 80s-tennis.com.
Martina Navratilova racquet gallery
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Living tennis legend Martina Navratilova used to play a couple of wood racquets in the 70s (apart from 1974-76, when she played a fiberglass racquet), e.g. Spalding Speedshaft and Yonex Carbonex2. The Yonex R-7 that she started playing in 1982 was her first graphite racquet. Then in 1984 she turned to the Yonex R-22 and kept on playing it for several years. In 1987, Navratilova used a black painted Dunlop Max 200G with the Yonex logo sprayed onto the strings, but 1988 saw he playing a white Yonex racquet (RQ-180) again, having signed with this company again. 
