Navratilova, who made her Wimbledon debut in 1973, reaches the last eight in 1975 but there was plenty more still to come

Navratilova wins her first singles title in 1978, defeating Chris Evert in the first of a series of classic final clashes

Navratilova's mother Jana (left) accompanies her daughter to the 1979 Championships, the first time she had been allowed out of her native Czechoslovakia

Over the next few years, Navratilova - who switches nationality to the USA in 1981 - gets plenty of curtseying practice

Navratilova, here dancing with John McEnroe at the 1984 Champions' Ball, dominates in the 1980s with six consecutive singles titles

Steffi Graf (left) finally ends Navratilova's run in 1988, with a 5-7 6-2 6-1 victory

But Navratilova is far from washed up as she returns to beat Zina Garrison 6-4 6-1 in the 1990 final for a record ninth singles title

At the age of 37, Navratilova battles through to the 1994 final but loses to Conchita Martinez in what proves to be her last singles final

Navratilova is honoured for her contributions to tennis at a ceremony in 1997, along with long-term rival Evert

Navratilova ends her retirement in 2000, returning in the women's doubles where she loses to Venus and Serena Williams

The final Wimbledon title of Navratilova's career comes in 2003 when she wins the mixed doubles alongside Leander Paes at the age of 46

Buoyed by her 20th title, Navratilova makes a return to the singles in 2004 where she loses in the second round

But there is to be no fairytale end to her Wimbledon career as she crashes out of the women's and mixed doubles