Martina Navratilova

Considered one of the greatest tennis players in the history of the sport, Martina Navratilova won 59 Grand Slam crowns and a record nine Wimbledon singles champions over the course of her three-decade career. Coming out in 1981, she was also one of the first openly gay sports figures even though it resulted in forfeiting lucrative endorsements and sponsorships. As an activist she has appeared in ad campaigns for PETA, filed a lawsuit against Colorado’s anti-gay Amendment, and is involved with Rainbow Endowment, which supports gay and lesbian causes. Updated 2009