Martina Navratilova weds longtime girlfriend

Tennis champion Martina Navratilova has tied the knot with her longtime girlfriend Julia Lemigova.

The 18-time Grand Slam winner wed Lemigova on Monday (15Dec14) in New York City, where gay marriage is legal, just three months after popping the question to the Russian model in front of a crowd during the U.S. Open in September (14).

Shortly after the ceremony, Navratilova admitted she never thought their big day would become a reality.

She tells the BBC, "I'm 58 years old, I got married for the first time - it's about time, right? Growing up as a gay woman you just don't ever think about that, and then I thought, about 10 years ago, 'You know, I think within 10 years gay marriage will be legal.' And here we are, 10 years later, making it legal."

Lemigova added, "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, who "came out" as bisexual in 1981, has two daughters.