Navratilova misses out on record

Martina Navratilova (r) exits after her defeat

Martina Navratilova's quest to equal the all-time record of Wimbledon titles was brought to an abrupt end on Wednesday, when she and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario lost their doubles quarter-final tie.

The pair lost 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 to fifth seeded Kimberley Po of the United States and Nathalie Tauziat of France.

Forty-four-year-old Navratilova won the last of her Wimbledon titles, her 19th, in 1995 with a mixed doubles success.

But she had been lured back in the hope of equalling Billie Jean King's long-standing record of 20.

Navratilova and Sanchez Vicario had gone through to the quarter-finals when their third round opponents Venus and Serena Williams pulled out due to Serena having an upset stomach.