- Adopting Twins After Beating Cancer
Her Story Reads Like a Nearly Incredible Novel
On the tennis court, Martina Navratilova (67) won it all and defeated everyone. In life and love, she nearly lost everything. Then she met and fell in love with Russian supermodel Julia Lemigova (52). Now, they've adopted two sons and completed their family bliss. What makes this "Match Made in Heaven," as People magazine calls it?
"Challenges and Rewards for All"
"We are overjoyed and see the challenges and rewards for all," Navratilova and Lemigova wrote in a brief statement about adopting their two young sons. They haven't revealed more details yet, understandably after the drama of the past two years. Now, they want peace in their new home with their adopted sons, where they'll also meet Julia's two daughters, Emma and Victoria, from her previous marriage. Piece by piece, a perfect family puzzle is coming together in Navratilova's life, one that was once far out of reach.
Navratilova's Multiple Victories Over Cancer
On the tennis court, it was easy for Martina Navratilova to overpower her opponents. In the '80s and '90s, she set records with 167 singles and 177 doubles titles. Her aggressive playing style was simple yet successful: serve, storm the net, volley, point.
But her cancer diagnoses presented different kinds of challenges. After defeating breast cancer in 2010, her double diagnosis in 2022 must have been a deep shock: throat cancer and breast cancer again. All their adoption plans were put on hold: "When you adopt a child, it's about the child. And right now, it's all about Martina and her getting better," Lemigova said on the US reality show "The Real Housewives of Miami." In June 2023, Navratilova finally announced she was cancer-free, clearing the way for the adoption.
Relationships End in Court
Navratilova has overcome countless, insurmountable barriers in her life. She came out in 1980 when she discovered her love for women. Yet, her relationships ended in court. She lived with former pro basketball player Nancy Lieberman (66) for several years, later paying her $120,000 for silence about their time together. She also had a relationship with author Judy Nelson (79), ending it with a reported $10 million payout in 1991. Navratilova shook up the traditional tennis world, where "real men" wore sweatbands and "real women" wore pleated skirts. She also stirred up her own emotional life.
Between Statelessness and Love
In 1978, the future tennis great applied for citizenship in the US from Czechoslovakia and initially failed, leaving her stateless for a time. In 1980, rumors surfaced about her relationship with US author Rita Mae Brown (79). In 1981, she finally gained US citizenship, but her path to romantic happiness was still long.
"I'm not a tennis fan, but I knew who she was"
In the year 2000, their eyes met in a bar in Paris: At one end of the counter sat Julia Lemigova, former "Miss UdSSR" and top model, at the other end, Navratilova. "I modeled, lived in Paris, and met all these incredible people - famous people, royals," says Lemigova. "I'm not a tennis fan, but of course I knew who she was." At that time, she signaled Navratilova with her eyes: "You have to come to me and talk to me." And indeed: It only took a few seconds and the famous tennis player was standing in front of her. But the sparks between them didn't fly just yet. It took almost a decade until they saw each other again in 2008 in Paris. From a shared breakfast, friendship grew, and then more. In 2014, Navratilova made her Julia a public proposal at the U.S. Open, which they sealed with their wedding in December of the same year.
Julia's daughters as a crucial support
Since the beginning of their shared love journey, the former top model and tennis legend can always rely on two tough supporters: Julia's now grown daughters. When asked "Who is Martina?" in 2008, she explained to both: "Martina is someone I love. I can't imagine life without her." "Their eyes became big at that time," says Lemigova, then Emma said to her: "I want her to live with us." And even with her own coming out, her daughters were helpful: "When I saw my two girls stand up to their friends and say: 'Yes, we have two mothers,' I thought: 'Oh my God. My girls were faster than me.'"
Their wedding with Navratilova - actress Brooke Shields (59) was the maid of honor - on December 15, 2014, also gave many other same-sex couples much courage, according to Lemigova. "I think it's important for couples like us to get married." The adoption of their two sons currently crowns the shared, sometimes rocky path of the famous couple. And there is no doubt that both will master this chapter of their life journey brilliantly.
Navratilova and Lemigova expressed joy and anticipation in their statement about adopting their sons, acknowledging the challenges and rewards that come with parenthood.
In the face of Navratilova's cancer diagnoses, their adoption plans were temporarily halted, highlighting the priority given to her health.
