Martina Navratilova, the tennis legend, has fulfilled her dream of becoming a mother at 67 by adopting two young boys with her wife, Julia Lemigova. This comes just after Navratilova’s recent triumph over cancer.
Martina Navratilova, the tennis icon, is embracing motherhood for the first time at 67. Together with her wife, television star Julia Lemigova, Navratilova has adopted two young boys, as confirmed by her agent, Mary Greenham. The ages and names of the children have not been disclosed. “We are overjoyed, and we are fully aware of the challenges and rewards that lie ahead,” Navratilova told the American magazine Us Weekly.
Lemigova, who brought her two daughters, Victoria and Emma, into their relationship, had long shared with Navratilova the desire to adopt more children. However, in early 2023, the couple faced a difficult setback: Navratilova was diagnosed with both throat and breast cancer. “I am hoping for a positive outcome,” she said at the time. “It’s going to be tough for a while, but I will fight with everything I’ve got,” the tennis legend added.
“It must be about the child”
Lemigova shared on a reality show shortly after the diagnosis that the couple had temporarily paused their adoption plans to focus on Navratilova’s recovery. “When you adopt a child, it must be about the child,” she explained. “We thought we could get a call any minute telling us we were getting a baby. Instead, we were fighting cancer.”
Their battle against cancer was successful: just a few months later, Navratilova defeated the disease. The couple resumed their adoption plans, and this time, their efforts were doubly successful.
Navratilova is widely regarded as one of the most successful tennis players of all time. She won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, 31 doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles. Navratilova and Lemigova have been together since 2008 and married in 2014.
Julia Lemigova, born Yulia Andreevna Lemigova, is a Russian former model and beauty pageant titleholder. She was crowned Miss USSR 1990. Julia gained further recognition as a cast member on the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Miami.
Lemigova’s journey began when she was first runner-up at Miss USSR in 1990. Following the disqualification of the original winner, she was elevated to be crowned Miss USSR. Representing the Soviet Union, she participated in the Miss Universe 1991 pageant, where she achieved the impressive position of 2nd runner-up. After her pageant days, Lemigova moved to Western Europe and established herself in Paris. She opened her first well-being center, Joiya spa, in 2003, and later launched a skincare and spa line called Russie Blanche in 2009. In 2021, she made history as the first cast member in the Real Housewives franchise to be married to a woman, with her wife being tennis player Martina Navratilova.
Lemigova faced a tragedy when her son Maximilian died of shaken baby syndrome while in the care of a new nanny. She has two daughters and married Martina Navratilova in New York in December 2014. Despite challenges, Julia Lemigova continues to make her mark in both the beauty and reality television worlds.
