Seven-time champion Navratilova raises the trophy in 1987

Where there was chaos in the men's vote, Martina Navratilova brought order to the ladies vote with an emphatic win.

The Czech-born left hander, for whom comfortable victories were the norm in an illustrious playing career, proved the overwhelming choice.

Almost 10,000 people picked Navratilova as their greatest ladies' champion of all time, 5,000 more than Steffi Graf, who finished second.

And by winning the mixed doubles with Leander Paes on the last Sunday of this year's tournament, Navratilova equalled Billie-Jean King's record of 20 Wimbledon titles, three decades after her first appearance at Wimbledon.

That the size of her vote is a slight surprise is down to the quality of the opposition.

Billie Jean King's 4.81% of the vote is scant reward for a Wimbledon career that encompassed 23 years, six singles, 10 doubles and four mixed doubles titles.

GREATEST LADIES CHAMP VOTE Martina Navratilova - 48.12% Steffi Graf - 29.26% Chris Evert - 5.58% Serena Williams - 5.01% Billie Jean King - 4.81% Venus Williams - 2.58% Virginia Wade - 1.74% Evonne Goolagong - 1.72%

Then there was Steffi Graf, the efficient German with the killer forehand who in 1988 - aged 19 - became the youngest ever Wimbledon champion.

More than 5,000 votes were cast in support of Graf, who met Navratilova in the Wimbledon final three times, winning twice in 1988 and 1989.

Time will tell whether the Williams sisters become as prolific and as popular as Navratilova - the pair are arguably the only players on the women's circuit who could think about emulating her achievements in SW19.