Martina Navratilova finds joy with 'instant family'

London, July 14 (ANI): Martina Navratilova was at the peak of her legendary tennis career when most women settle down to become mothers.

But at the age of 55 she has finally embraced motherhood.

She has become a parent to her girlfriend's two young daughters, an arrangement that she referred to as her 'instantaneous family'.

The gay sports star, who won Wimbledon a record nine times, has spoken of her happiness and admitted that motherhood has changed her life.

Navratilova has been in a relationship with former Russian beauty queen Julia Lemigova, 41, since 2006, and the couple were first pictured together in 2009.

During an appearance on Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs', the sportswoman - who has been hailed as one of the greatest female tennis players of all time - said that she spends most of her time in Paris , where her 41-year-old partner lives with her children.

She revealed that she is poised to cut down on her travelling to spend more time with her new family.

On being asked by the show's host: "Would you have wanted to have children, or did that coincide with your grand slam years?"

Navratilova replied: "Pretty much, well those years are gone, I am well into the menopause now, so that ship has sailed!" the Daily Mail reported.

"I never really got the opportunity to have a child, but I am in a relationship now with my partner and she has two girls, so I am a parent now," she said.

On motherhood, Navratilova said that though managing two girls was a difficult job but it was amazing.

The star, who has had a string of tempestuous love affairs including difficult relationship with ex-girlfriend Toni Layton which ended in a legal battle, as well as another beauty queen, former Miss Texas Judy Nelson, said that she wanted to change her life and spend time with her new family.

"I am looking to change my life a little bit where I don't have to travel so much. It's instantaneous family. It's strange because you get into a relationship and there are two kids," she said.

"Yeah, it changes your life, there's no doubt about that, but in a good way," she added. (ANI)