Martina Navratilova has recalled the day she made a political asylum request at the 1975 US Open - when she was just 18 years old.
Former World No. 1 Navratilova is often considered to be one of the greatest tennis players of all time. The 66-year-old has 59 Grand Slam titles to her name - 18 in singles, 31 in women's doubles, and 10 in mixed doubles.
The Czech-American won all of these while competing for the US, but her career could have been very different if it wasn't for one momentous decision she made at the 1975 US Open.
Navratilova was born and raised behind the Iron Curtain in Czechoslovakia, now the two separate countries of Czech Republic and Slovakia.
However, when she traveled to the US in 1975 to compete at the New York major, it was evident that she was good friends with American players Billie Jean King and Chris Evert. As this was in the middle of the Cold War, the authorities in Czechoslovakia did not approve and asked Navratilova to return home before the Slam had even begun.
It was this that led the 18-year-old to request political asylum in the USA on September 6, 1975. Fans on social media recently marked the 47-year-anniversary of this occurrence.
"On this day in 1975, 18-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia, who would go on to be one of the sport’s greatest, requested political asylum in the United States. Navratilova made the request in New York, where she had been playing in the U.S. Open," wrote one fan on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Navratilova responded to the post with a brief recollection of her own, writing:
"And what a day that was…"
She would go on to become World No. 1 in 1978 and would hold the position for an overall time of 331 weeks. While her singles career was dominant throughout the 80s, her career in doubles saw continuous success until she retired in 2006.
And what a day that was…
On this day in 1975, 18-year-old tennis star Martina Navratilova of Czechoslovakia, who would go on to be one of the sport’s greatest, requested political asylum in the United States. Navratilova made the request in New York, where she had been playing in the U.S. Open.
