Martina Navratilova knows Wimbledon better than most. With nine singles titles and 120 match wins at the All England Club, no one in tennis history has done it better on grass. That’s more titles than Roger Federer, and more wins than even Rafael Nadal has at Roland Garros. But as iconic as she is, not all doors open automatically for the Queen of Wimbledon. Turns out, there are places around the tournament grounds where even she’s not welcome. Let’s find out what happened!
In 2022, Roger Federer had a surprising moment at the gates of Wimbledon. He walked up to security, hoping to enter, but a guard stopped him. The reason? He didn’t have his membership card. All Wimbledon champions automatically become members, so Federer technically has multiple cards, 8 to be exact. But on that day, he wasn’t carrying any. He tried explaining, but the guard wasn’t having any of it. So, he tried a different entrance, and luckily, that guard knew exactly who he was and let him through without a fuss.
Navratilova had her own run-in recently, and this time it wasn’t about her. The 18-time Grand Slam champion is currently working as a BBC commentator during Wimbledon and stopped by to have dinner at the famous Ivy Cafe located at the heart of Wimbledon Village. But she was denied entry. The adorable reason? Her dog, Lulu. Navratilova posted on X, “Well- tried to have dinner at the Ivy at Wimbledon, but they won’t allow Lulu into the restaurant- so plan B.”
Well- tried to have dinner at the Ivy at Wimbledon, but they won’t allow Lulu into the restaurant- so plan B pic.twitter.com/mpNzsepgBx
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) July 8, 2025
The Czech-American is a proud dog mom and has always shared her life with her pets. “I’ll do some running with the dogs, ride a bike; if I go to gym it’s usually for cardio,” she once said. Her pets go everywhere with her and live the good life.
After her Wimbledon commentary duties in 2022, Navratilova and her wife, Julia Lemigova, took off for a getaway in France. Naturally, Lulu joined the trip. The vacation photos went viral, especially one where Navratilova is holding Lulu at the beach with the caption, “I think Lulu enjoyed our dinner:).” A fan commented on how content Lulu looked. Martina responded, “Of course she is:), gets carried when she doesn’t want to walk, goes everywhere, gets plenty of food and sleep. I mean!!!!”
Her love for animals goes beyond just her own.
Martina Navratilova reacts to viral animal cruelty video
Martina Navratilova has been an animal rights advocate since 1995, teaming up with PETA to protest cruel practices like live animal exports and university lab testing.
Most recently, the 68-year-old called out a Lexus owner online for abandoning a dog named Chico in the middle of traffic. A video showed the heartbreaking moment as the dog stood on his hind legs, begging for his owner’s attention. The person drove off, leaving him behind. A user later updated the post, saying, “Thankfully, Chico was rescued and found a forever home. You can drive a Lexus, but if you lack compassion, that’s no real status. for Chico. #AdoptDontShop.”
Navratilova didn’t hold back. She reposted the video with the words, “Find this a******, please!!!!” Later, when Chico’s rescue was confirmed, she posted again: “Well, Chico is better off obviously, in his new home!!!”
Martina might be a legend on the court, but when it comes to dining out with Lulu, she’s still going to need a solid plan B, especially while juggling her BBC commentary duties at Wimbledon. For more off-court and on-court stories like this, don’t miss the latest updates on our blog.
The post Martina Navratilova Denied Entry At Wimbledon Over Unexpected Rule appeared first on EssentiallySports.
