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Navratilova takes final bow at Wimbledon

49-year-old loses in third round of mixed doubles, fails to set record

Navratilova Daniel Berehulak / Getty Images
Martina Navratilova won her first title at Wimbledon in 1976 and her last in mixed doubles in 2003 to equal Billie-Jean King’s record of 20 titles. Her haul comprises nine singles, seven doubles and four mixed doubles.
updated 3:35 p.m. ET July 6, 2006

WIMBLEDON, England - Martina Navratilova ended her Wimbledon career Thursday still tied with Billie Jean King for the most All England Club titles with 20.

Navratilova and Liezel Huber of South Africa lost their quarterfinal doubles match 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to the Chinese pair of Yan Zi and Zheng Jie, who won the Australian Open title this year.

In the third round of mixed doubles, Navratilova and Mark Knowles of the Bahamas lost 7-5, 6-1 to Andy Ram of Israel and Vera Zvonareva of Russia.

The 49-year-old Navratilova, who will retire from all play at the end of this year, has nine singles, seven doubles and four mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon. King won six singles, 10 doubles and four mixed.

One reason Navratilova has continued so long was a desire to hold the record on her own.

With little drama, and not stopping to collect a blade of grass as she had done when she originally retired from singles in 1994, Navratilova offered a wry smile as she waved a final goodbye.

“I’ll be here. I’ll be back. I just won’t be playing,” Navratilova said earlier this week.

© 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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