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Still going Navratilova thinking of playing U.S. Open
Posted: Wednesday July 12, 2000 04:03 PM
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Martina Navratilova said Wednesday that she may play in the U.S. Open if she can find a partner to add speed to her game, which has slowed somewhat in her absence from top tournaments. "I would like to play the Open if I can get a good enough partner -- better than me," she said. "I need someone faster than me. I think I'll find a guy and hopefully I'll find a woman too," she said Wednesday. "I had too much fun playing [in World Team Tennis last year] not to play at the Open." Navratilova, 43, made the remarks during a conference call with reporters to announce her participation in the World Team Tennis competition in Schenectady. Navratilova, who will be inducted this weekend into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, said playing in the Open will be a last-minute decision, depending on the health of other players and a previous personal engagement. Navratilova and Mariaan de Swardt lost to Venus and Serena Williams 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the women's doubles quarterfinals last week. The defeat ended Navratilova's Wimbledon comeback after a four-year absence. Afterward Navratilova admitted she has lost a step, a costly concession to age for a serve-and-volley player who always relied on her quickness. She and the recently injured Mahesh Bhupathi lost in the first round of mixed doubles. Navratilova has 19 Wimbledon singles and doubles titles, one shy of close friend Billie Jean King's record, but continued to insist she was not playing now only to break records. "People can think what they want," she said. "I don't pay attention to what other people say or I would have stayed in Czech. If I just wanted to take the record, I would've been playing the last four years ... I just wanted to play tennis." Navratilova said she has been playing ice hockey and exercising extensively during her hiatus. "I had no injuries when I started playing matches, which is amazing since I hadn't played in four years," she said, adding that the biggest difference in her training routine is that she has to stretch much more. Navratilova's plays doubles for the Schenectady County Electrics on July 19.
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