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Navratilova wins again, retires again

The 49 year-old tennis legend, Martina Navratilova, announced the end of a thirty-two year tennis career on Saturday. Since winning her first professional tournament in 1974 Navratilova went on to win 343 additional titles, the last one Saturday`s mixed doubles US Open finals, her 29th US Open. The victory was her 59th Grand Slam title, of which 18 are singles tournaments, all won before her first retirement in 1994.

Navratilova retuned six years later, in 2000, to play doubles. She played in the Olympics, won 40 consecutive matches and numerous titles. In this successful second act she also won something that evaded her during her earlier stage ? she won the fans. Navratilova defected from Czechoslovakia in 1975 and became a US citizen in 1981. But being a foreigner and gay, kept corporate America and the fans distant.

Navratilova has set many records in the past years that begin with "The oldest to?" Although she will turn 50 next month, she believes she is still fit enough to carry on playing for another five years. "I`m quitting because I want to, not because I have to," she said. "This is the last match. This is definite, not allegedly. This is a closed chapter. It`s past midnight. It`s past my bedtime."