Martina Navratilova Marries Julia Lemigova In New York

It's Wedding Bells For Martina Navratilova And Her Longtime Girlfriend

Tennis ace Martina Navratilova has tied the knot.

The Czech-born Navratilova, 58, wed longtime girlfriend Julia Lemigova, 42, on Dec. 15 in New York, the BBC and other outlets are reporting.

"I'm 58 years old -- I got married for the first time," Navratilova told the BBC shortly after the ceremony, details of which have thus far been scarce. "It's about time, right? Growing up as a gay woman you just don't ever think about that."

Added Lemigova: "By proposing and marrying in such a public way, I think -- I hope -- will give an inspiration to the families set up like ours, that they, too, can be married legally one day."

Navratilova made headlines in September when she proposed to Lemigova at the U.S. Open. The intimate moment was telecast on the Jumbotron at New York's Arthur Ashe stadium, People magazine reported. (Check out video of the proposal above)

The 18-time Grand Slam winner -- who has two daughters, Victoria and Emma -- came out as bisexual in 1981, at a time when it was virtually unheard of for a professional athlete to do so. She's been a staunch advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights since then.

Congrats, ladies!

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