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The return of a champion Navratilova thrills crowd in return to Grand Slam tennis
Posted: Friday June 02, 2000 12:00 AM
PARIS (AP) -- Her serves were a little looser, her reactions a little slower. But at 43, Martina Navratilova looked like a champion in her first Grand Slam match for six years. Navratilova, winner of 18 singles and 38 doubles titles at Grand Slam events, teamed with South Africa's Mariaan de Swardt in a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 win against Sabine Appelmans and Rita Grande in the first round of the French Open on Friday. "It was fantastic, a real treat because I can still compete and play decent tennis," Navratilova said. The two-time French Open champion, who first played at Roland Garros before Grande was even born, was a little rusty at first. She returned to her chair after the first game, seemingly unaware of the recent rule change that requires play to continue without interruption before the second game. But she quickly got in the groove. In the second game, Navratilova hit two rapid volleys -- first a forehand, then a backhand -- to break serve. Navratilova, who quit playing singles five years ago and doubles a year later, brought the crowd to its feet in the sixth game. Chasing a ball wide to her left, she crashed into advertising boards, but quickly dashed back to hit a volley over the center of the net. Not satisfied, she sprinted to the right of the court to win the point with a thundering volley. Smiling throughout, Navratilova got stronger as the match went on. In a career that began in 1973, Navratilova won 167 singles titles and 165 doubles crowns. Her 56 Grand Slam titles is second only to the record of Margaret Smith Court. She still thinks she could make a decent living on the tour, though she won't continue playing after Wimbledon. Navratilova's match on Friday was her second after a five-year break. She appeared at last month's Madrid Open and is planning to play with de Swardt at Eastbourne before her main priority: Wimbledon. At the All England Club, she has won 19 titles, one shy of Billie Jean King's record, and plans to 'have fun and create havoc' this year. "I have lasted longer than anyone else apart from Billie Jean," Navratilova said. But she has one complaint about being back: the food at Roland Garros. "They have 18 kinds of dessert and not one vegetable," she said.
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