Tennis legend Martina Navratilova bade a fond farewell to Wimbledon on Saturday, with "fantastic memories" and some regrets.

The nine-time singles champion was a spectator at the 2006 final between Amelie Mauresmo and Justine Henin-Hardenne before walking through the gates of the All England Club for the last time as a competitor.

Defeat in both the women's doubles and the mixed doubles on Thursday, ensured there would be no fairytale ending for the 49-year-old Navratilova, who had hoped to break the record for most titles she shared with Billy Jean King on 20.

Navratilova, who confirmed earlier in the Championships that this would be her last Wimbledon, admitted to being close to tears after playing her last match, ironically on Court Two, famously the dubbed the graveyard of champions.

"It happened so fast," she told the BBC. "The fact it happened on Court Two was disappointing but that's how it goes.

"That's not what I'm taking away from Wimbledon. That's the last memory but it's certainly not the overwhelming one. I have so many fantastic memories that I can't be disappointed about anything."

Navratilova, who won seven doubles and four mixed doubles titles in addition to her nine singles crowns in a career spanning three decades, said her inaugural victory over Chris Evert in 1978 would be her lasting memory.

"The first one is always the most special," she said.

Navratilova said today's players were better athletes but bemoaned the influence of the racket manufacturers who have turned tennis into a power game.

"We've better athletes than we've ever had, the size and physical power," she said. "And rackets have made the power too much.

"I miss the variety. Somebody like (John) McEnroe probably wouldn't be able to win any more.

"Power has taken over a little too much and something needs to be done because we shouldn't have the racket companies dictating what kind of tennis we watch."

With South African partner Liezel Huber, Navratilova won in Strasbourg in May to maintain her record of lifting a title in 22 consecutive years and said today she would attempt one more Grand Slam event when he plays in the US Open in August.

Then she intends to concentrate on raising money for the lesbian and gay health care organisation she founded and on promoting her book on diet and fitness, to be released in the winter.

Navratilova may return to Wimbledon as a commentator but is determined to devote the bulk of her time on friends and family after learning lessons from her early career.

"I regret the years I missed being with my family, particularly my grandmother, my sister and my parents," she said.

"You can never have that time back. That's why I don't want to play any more. I don't to have the time away from my loved one, my one and only and family and friends."

Martina Navratilova won a record-equalling 20 Wimbledon titles, matching Billie-Jean King's number of career wins at SW19.

Here is her All England Club roll of honour.

WOMEN'S SINGLES: 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990.

WOMEN'S DOUBLES: 1976, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986.

MIXED DOUBLES: 1985, 1993, 1995, 2003.

Factfile:

1956: Born Prague, Czechoslovakia as Martina Subert.

1966: Changes name to that of her stepfather.

1973: Reaches Wimbledon third round and US Open first round. French Open quarter-finals.

1974: Wins first championship of her career in Orlando. Wins French Open Mixed doubles title (with Ivan Molina). French Open quarter-finals.

1975: Turns professional. French Open Women's doubles title (with Chris Evert). US Open semi-finalist. French Open finalist. Australian Open finalist. Member of winning Czech Federation Cup team.

1976: Wimbledon Women's doubles title (with Chris Evert). US Open Women's doubles title (with Betty Stove). Wimbledon semi-finalist.

1977: US Open Women's doubles title (with Betty Stove). Wimbledon quarter-finalist.

1978: US Open Women's doubles title (with Billie Jean King). US Open semi-finalist. Wins first of nine Wimbledon singles titles - her first Grand Slam tournament victory.

1979: Retains Wimbledon singles crown. Wimbledon Women's doubles title (with King). US Open semi-finalist.

1980: Australian Open semi-finalist and Women's doubles title (with Betsy Nagelsen). US Open Women's doubles title (with King). Wimbledon semi-finalist.

1981: Became naturalised American citizen. Wins Australian Open title for the first time. Wimbledon semi-finalist. French Open quarter-finalist. US Open runner-up. First of four successive Wimbledon Women's doubles titles (with Pam Shriver).

1982: Member of winning US Federation Cup team. Wins French Open title for first time. First of six successive Wimbledon titles. First of four successive Australian Open Women's doubles titles (with Shriver). French Open Women's (with Anne Smith). Wimbledon Women's doubles (with Shriver).

1983: Australian Open title and Women's doubles titles (with Shriver). Wimbledon singles and Women's doubles title (with Shriver). US Open singles and Women's doubles title (with Shriver).

1984: French Open singles and Women's doubles titles (with Shriver). Wimbledon singles and Women's doubles title (with Shriver). US Open singles and Women's doubles title (with Shriver). Australian Open Women's Doubles (with Shriver).

1985: Australian Open singles title and Women's doubles title (with Shriver). Wimbledon singles title and Mixed doubles title (with Paul McNamee). US Open runner-up. French Open Mixed doubles title with (Heinz Gunthardt).

1986: Member of US Federation Cup winning team. French Open singles runner-up. Wimbledon singles and Women's doubles titles (with Shriver). US Open singles and Women's doubles titles (with Shriver).

1987: Australian Open singles runner-up and first of three successive Women's doubles titles (with Shriver). French Open runner-up and Women's doubles title (with Shriver). Last of six successive Wimbledon singles titles. US Open singles, Women's doubles (with Shriver) and Mixed doubles titles (with Emilio Sanchez).

1988: Wimbledon singles runner-up. Australian Open Women's doubles title (with Shriver). French Open Women's doubles title (with Shriver).

1989: Member of winning US Federation Cup team. Wimbledon singles runner-up. US Open singles runner-up and Women's doubles title (with Hana Mandlikova). Australian Open Women's doubles title (with Shriver).

1990: Last of her nine Wimbledon singles victories. US Open Women's doubles title (with Gigi Fernandez).

1991: US Open runner-up.

1992: Wimbledon semi-finalist.

1993: Wimbledon semi-finalist and Mixed doubles title (with Mark Woodforde).

1994: Beaten by Conchita Martinez in final of her last appearance at Wimbledon. Beaten by Gabriela Sabatini in final match of her career in Virginia Slims tournament in New York.

2000: Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame.

2003: Won mixed doubles at Australian Open and Wimbledon in partnership with Leander Paes.

2004: Plays in

women's singles at Wimbledon at age of 47, losing in the second round to Argentina's Gisela Dulko. Loses in women's doubles semi-finals.

2005: Loses in Wimbledon women's doubles semi-finals.

2006: Plays last Wimbledon matches, losing in the third round in the mixed doubles and the quarter-final stage of the women's doubles.

Reveals she could return to the All England Club as a commentator.