Navratilova frustrated as she bids for record

Published on Saturday 3 July 2004 00:27

MARTINA Navratilova’s long ride into the sunset could have done with some sun yesterday but the tennis legend, bidding to become outright owner of the record for number of Wimbledon title wins, was frustrated in her efforts to keep fighting on two fronts by first the showers which fell over SW19 and then by the Zimbabwean brother-sister partnership of Cara and Wayne Black.

Her defeat with partner Leander Paes against the South African twins, confirmed late yesterday evening after the marathon contest had stretched to a third day, means Navratilova is now left with just the ladies’ doubles in her bid to claim a record-breaking 21st Wimbledon title. It was a painful loss since the match was evenly poised throughout, and commenced last night on a knife edge, with the decisive third set equalled at 10-10 since fading light stopped play on Thursday. It took only a further 20 minutes for the Blacks to steal ahead by the required two games, winning 13-11 against the reigning champions. They now take on Barbara Schett and Rainer Schuettler in the much-delayed quarter-finals.

Navratilova, however, cannot afford to take things easy as her semi-final doubles match with Lisa Raymond against Liezel Huber and Ai Sugiyama was last night postponed until today.

If she is victorious with Raymond she will be in the final of the ladies doubles, due to be played tomorrow.

It might sound complicated but for Navratilova it is really very simple - one more title win here and she finds herself out in front in the Wimbledon win stakes. The mixed doubles title she won with Paes last year meant she levelled Billie Jean King’s record of 20 title wins at Wimbledon, but this didn’t satisfy someone whose thirst for achievement has her back here aged 47, and featuring briefly in the singles as well as both doubles events.

She has more than a fighting chance with Raymond, the 30-year-old whose singles career is a chequered one to say the least but who can point to one Grand Slam title and a flutter of semi-final and last eight appearances in the doubles.

In the other ladies’ doubles semi-final due to be played today Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs play Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez.

In the men’s doubles both semi-finals were last night allowed only the briefest bursts of action between showers, meaning Todd Woodbridge’s bid to equal the Doherty brother’s 99-year-old record of eight Wimbledon men’s doubles titles will resume today with his partner Jonas Bjorkman. The pair, who won the title last year, are playing Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley, and are 4-3 down in the first set having taken the first set 7-5.