Legendary tennis player Martina Navratilova won the first-ever Indian Wells Women’s Singles event in 1990.
Navratilova, who won 18 Grand Slam singles titles during her playing career, defeated Helen Sukova 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 in the final.
Navratilova had to contend with some rather unsavoury conditions during the final: extreme wind whipped up a ‘sandstorm’ in the final, affecting the players’ ability to perform at the highest level.
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After clinching the contest in three sets, Navratilova offered her reaction to the weather conditions in California.
Martina Navratilova said she was ‘crunching down on sand morsels’ after the 1990 Indian Wells final
“I found myself crunching down on some sand morsels,” Navratilova said after beating Sukova in Indian Wells, as per the Los Angeles Times.
“I’ve played in all kinds of weather, but never in a sandstorm. It became an adventure. The conditions out there were wicked. It didn’t affect my vision, but there’s still some in my mouth.”
Navratilova led Sukova 6-2, 5-3 before losing four straight games. However, the Czech-American regained her composure to win the last set, and the title.
After the contest, Navratilova said Sukova was an ‘escape artist,’ while adding: “At 6-2, 5-3, I was already writing my speech. Then I started rushing my shots and stopped moving my feet.”
Navratilova went on to defend her Indian Wells title in 1991. The Czech-American beat Monica Seles in the final and remains the only player to win back-to-back Indian Wells Women’s Singles titles.
Mirra Andreeva, 18, would become only the second player to achieve the Indian Wells feat if she wins this year’s title.
Remarkably, after winning the 1991 Indian Wells title, Navratilova did not play at the event again.
Martina Navratilova’s last professional match
In 2006, Navratilova played her last professional tennis tournament at the US Open, competing in the mixed doubles event.
Navratilova, playing alongside compatriot Bob Bryan, defeated Czech pairing Kveta Peschke and Martin Damm to win the title.
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The moment marked Navratilova’s 59th major title across all formats, 32 years after her first.
Navratilova was aged 49 years and 10 months when she won the title, breaking her own record as the oldest ever major champion.
