Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, July 8, 1990 TAG: 9007080066
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From The New York Times and Associated Press
DATELINE: WIMBLEDON, ENGLAND LENGTH: Medium
Navratilova is 33 and for the last three of them has been obsessed with making history at Wimbledon by winning a record ninth singles championships. She achieved her goal Saturday on Centre Court by beating Zina Garrison in straight sets.
"There were no glitches this time; everything came up nines," said Navratilova, who had been beaten by Steffi Graf in the final the past two years and began plotting the surest path toward this 1990 final the day after she lost in 1989. Her career singles record at Wimbledon is 99-9.
Navratilova's cause received some unanticipated assistance when Garrison knocked Graf from the tournament in the semifinal round. Navratilova showed her gratitude, though, by dismissing Garrison in two virtually trouble-free sets.
"It would have been more fitting to play Steffi, but at the same time, obviously Zina earned her place there," said Navratilova, who has competed here for 18 years. "The event overtakes the person you end up beating."
Determined not to be overwhelmed by the occasion until she had succeeded in making it the occasion she wanted to remember, Navratilova played more stylishly and wisely than Garrison in defeating the 26-year-old Texan 6-4, 6-1 in 75 minutes.
The victory that ran Navratilova's record against Garrison to 28-1 also brought Navratilova an 18th Grand Slam singles title and earned her the $354,674 top prize.
"She was a step ahead of me the whole time," said Garrison, significant flattery from the woman generally considered to be the nimblest player in women's tennis. Garrison also noticed that Navratilova, despite the momentous situation, was far from nervous.
Garrison said, "I think if you play somebody and beat them 28 times and they've only beaten you once, I know I'm more relaxed when I play players I've beaten a lot."
Garrison admitted that the prospect of appearing on Centre Court for her first Grand Slam final against a woman who already had been successful there in eight of her 10 visits was a daunting one.
She said she was not distracted by the presence of two-time Wimbledon champion Althea Gibson, the only other black woman to play in a Wimbledon final, who appeared in the Royal Box in the same track suit she had worn to Garrison's morning practice.
"I was really happy Althea was here, but it didn't affect me in any way," said Garrison, who thought she played too feebly to worry Navratilova.
"My returning serve wasn't working as well as I would have liked, and you know, she was the most aggressive. She went out and she went for it; I think I was a tad too laid back. With a player like Martina, who's aggressive, your adrenaline needs to be a little bit high."
Garrison said there never was a doubt in her mind that it would require a monumental performance to stop Navratilova in the final.
"I can't even comprehend winning one Wimbledon; it's amazing that someone can do this," Garrison said. "She really believes this is her court and that no one can take it away from her."
By adding a ninth silver plate to the eight she began collecting here in 1978, Navratilova broke a record she had shared for the last three years with Helen Wills Moody, who won her eighth and final Wimbledon title in 1938.
"I think people like to see history being made," Navratilova said. "Now I'm going for double digits. As long as the body is willing, I'm willing."
Navratilova termed this the toughest Wimbledon of her life, physically and emotionally. She attributed her resilience in both departments to her coaches: Billie Jean King, who taught her how to maintain a healthy attitude toward her tennis; and Craig Kardon, who drilled her technical skills into Grand Slam form.
Navratilova, who also has been prolific in the doubles competition here, is three titles short of King's Wimbledon record of 20.
In the women's doubles final, the top-seeded team of Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova of Czechoslovakia defeated Kathy Jordan and Liz Smylie 6-3, 6-4.
Californians Rick Leach and Jim Pugh achieved a childhood dream by winning the Wimbledon men's doubles title in a match of three tie-breakers.
The top-seeded team was on court for 2 hours, 19 minutes in a 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) victory over the second-seed team of South Africans Pieter Aldrich and Danie Visser.
Keywords:
TENNIS
by CNB